Lessons
by KarenZ
Summary: FAM Zorro : Victoria takes to giving Diego lessons to impress his lady and finds herself becoming more and more jealous of this mysterious woman. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Lessons**

**Prologue**

Gilberto Resindo's death had had a profound effect on the whole pueblo. Though he had lived his entire life as a Resindo, he now lay buried in a grave marked "Gilberto de la Vega". For in the last months of his life, it had been revealed that he was a true son of Don Alejandro de la Vega. Suckled on bitterness and nurtured with hate, all his life had been a course of revenge against Don Alejandro. The hate had transferred to his own twin, Don Diego de la Vega, upon arriving in the pueblo de Los Angeles. In a dramatic turn of events, Gilberto had almost killed Diego, but instead had been shot dead by the Alcalde, Ignacio De Soto. The news of the events of that day had spread like wildfire throughout the entire region and the ramifications were still being felt.

Alcalde De Soto had escaped a death sentence himself with the killing of Resindo. He had saved the life of Don Diego with his action and had offered that up as the excuse for the shot in the back that brought Resindo down. But, in truth, he cared not one whit for Don Diego, whether he lived or died. The gratitude of the de la Vega family for saving Diego's life was merely a pleasant consequence of necessary events. Resindo had to die. His threatening of Don Diego only provided the legal means to achieve that end. The Alcalde's only regret was that his deed had not met with as much approval from Madrid. Resindo had been a Royal Emissary of the King, and that had meant weeks of seemingly unending paperwork in dealing with the death.

After a very brief introspective period (one does tend to examine one's life closely when death has appeared imminent), De Soto had developed a stronger resolve than ever to escape this miserable little pueblo, and return in triumph to his beloved Madrid. That was his dream. He meant to return a hero, and to do that, he must bring down a hero—Zorro! Now, more than ever, he was determined to see the masked man hang!

Don Alejandro de la Vega was grateful that his son was safe. A child of his loins lay in a grave in the churchyard, but Diego had been his only son in his mind since his birth. Diego had always been a good son, a placid, peace-loving young man, a lover of the arts and sciences. But that day had also changed Alejandro's opinion of Diego. He had seen him wield a sword with such ferocity and determination and with a decided _skill_. And with his left hand yet! He knew from that moment that, for all these years, his son had been holding back something. Diego had been withholding not only a secret skill, but also a secret life. The swordsmanship he had witnessed could only be equaled by one other man. Don Alejandro now knew his son _was_ that man. _Diego was Zorro_. He could glow with pride inwardly and worry himself sick for his son's safety. He could help him in so many ways in this campaign for justice. But until his son came to him freely with an admission, two men would be keeping secrets in the de la Vega hacienda.

Victoria Escalante had changed too. At first, she hadn't realized just how close she had come to losing her best friend in all the world—Diego. But when that truth had dawned upon her, she promised herself that some things would change. For one thing, she would make more time for her friend. How often she had brushed him aside in her busy work at the tavern! But he deserved more than that. And after all, someone needed to take him in hand. She could sense a growing unhappiness in him, and she worried that the episode with Resindo would haunt him. He was so sensitive. It was one of his greatest strengths, but sometimes, it was his greatest fault.

Diego de la Vega wasn't really unhappy. No, just impatient, impatient to get on with his life. His was a personal life put on hold by the rule of two evil Alcaldes. When the late Alcalde, Luiz Ramón, had fallen to his death at Devil's Fortress, there had been a hope that the oppression was over at last. And truly, Diego's heart swelled with hope on that day when he watched his acquaintance from the university ride into town to take over the duties of Alcalde. But, if anything, he had proven to be worse that his predecessor.

Diego's recent brush with death had also made him wonder if it weren't time to make some changes in his life. He had almost revealed his secret right there in the middle of the street to both his father and to Victoria. But, at the last moment, he had backed down yet again. It was time, he felt, to let them both know, but he'd be putting them in danger by doing so. He wasn't sure if he had the right to make that decision. But if he didn't, who did?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

"Mendoza!" The shout was loud enough to be heard in the street. "Mendoza!" Sergeant Jaime Mendoza was all too used to the sound. He groaned inwardly and his shoulders fell for a moment before he gathered himself to attention and took off hurriedly to answer the summons.

"Sí, mi alcalde?"

"Mendoza, just what is _this_? And what is it doing in _my desk_?" Mendoza could practically see smoke coming from the Alcalde's ears. He reached forward to take the offensive sheet of paper offered to him and looked at it quickly.

"Well, Sir, this is a poem written by Don Diego de la Vega."

Exasperation and anger warred for first place on the Alcalde's countenance. "Poem! Hah! Why, it doesn't even rhyme!" He lowered his voice into a deadly threatening tone. "I ask you once more, what is this … _drivel_ doing on my desk?" His steel-blue eyes bored into Mendoza.

"Well, Sir, that would be… you see…" 

"Spit it out, Sergeant!"

Mendoza's words came out all in a rush. "Don't you remember? When Emissary Resindo was in charge, he ordered me to obtain a sample of Don Diego's handwriting. I…er…stole that from the de la Vega hacienda, Sir."

"Oh, yes, yes. I do remember, but—" He caught himself and stared at the parchment in his hand. "Hmm. Handwriting." The Alcalde's face darkened as the wheels of his mind turned and a plan began to form behind his narrowed eyes. "Handwriting! That's it!"

"That's what, Sir?"

De Soto looked us as if he were surprised to see the Sergeant still standing there. "What? Oh, nothing, Sergeant. It is nothing. You may go." With a wave, he dismissed his right hand lancer.

Thoroughly confused, Mendoza clicked his heels together, said "Sí, Alcalde" and spun around to run from the room. He had forgotten that loathsome task he had done for Resindo and he had not liked being reminded of it. Resindo had used that sample of Don Diego's writing to forge a note he had hoped would drive a wedge between Don Diego and his father, Don Alejandro. The plot had not worked, thankfully, but now, it appeared as if the Alcalde might be up to something else.

"I hope Don Diego can rewrite his poem," he muttered to himself. "I don't think he will ever get it back again."

De Soto leaned on the desk and stared at the paper before him, not thinking about the poem written there at all. No, he was intent on the possibilities it had brought to his mind. Stuffing the paper back into the desk drawer, he began to rifle through the others there. Finally, he found the one he sought. "Yes, here it is! A note from Zorro," he said aloud, a note of triumph in his voice. He knew he had a few other samples of Zorro's handwriting tucked away in his bound volume of papers that detailed the crimes of the outlaw. He took a quill and began writing furiously, unable to contain his laughter at the thought of his scheme to capture the man who had been the thorn in his side ever since he'd come to this little backwater pueblo.

Within the hour, a lone lancer set out for Monterey with a sealed message safely tucked in his saddlebag.

Victoria was frazzled. Everything that could go wrong that morning had. The tavern was the busiest it had been in months and the customers seemed terribly difficult to please.

Diego had been watching her surreptitiously for the better part of an hour from his seat at a table near the door. It was more of an involuntary move on his part than anything else when he stood, walked toward her determinedly, firmly grasped her by the shoulders and led her through the curtains and into the kitchen.

"Diego, what do you think you're doing! I have customers!"

"And you are also about to explode in their faces!" he admonished with a laugh. "I think you need a break! Come!" He untied the apron from around her waist, ignoring her sputtering protests, then he opened the back door and gently shoved her through it. "It is a beautiful day. I think you should see it!"

"Oh, Diego, this is sweet, but I really need to—"

"—Stop and smell some beautiful flowers, walk in a garden, drink in the intoxicating fragrance of a wonderful spring day?" He led her around the tavern and into the street. "Come with me. I know just the spot!"

"Well, you're in a fine mood! Of course, you don't have to —-"

"And neither do you. Consider yourself kidnapped for an hour or two. Teresa can manage quite well without you for a bit." He still held her hand as he steered her down the side of the street and toward the church. "The garden Padre Benitez has been toiling over is at its peak right now, and I'm sure he would love to have visitors come and admire the fruits of his labors."

"Well, I would like to see his garden. It's true." She looked up at the handsome caballero. "And there is something I would like to talk to you about."

"Oh? And that is…?"

"There's a rumor going around about you." She said it playfully, trying to make light of her own interest. She'd been gathering her courage for weeks to ask him about it. "A very interesting rumor."

"A rumor? Really! And what rumor is that?"

"Well, someone was telling me that you've heard from Safira again. Is it true?"

"Well, yes, I have." That was the last question in the world he had expected from her. "She wrote to me. She and her husband have decided to settle just north of Monterey." He glanced at her. "I fail to see what that has to do with anything."

But Victoria ignored his statement. "Her husband? Oh." She paused. "Well, that is…and what of the 'other woman' in you life? What's happening on that front? Have you made any progress with her?"

Diego smiled broadly. He hadn't realized Victoria had paid any attention to his declaration of another love when he had rejected Safira's overtures. Hope flared in his breast. "Hardly any, I am afraid. She barely knows I am alive."

"But, Diego, if you truly have feelings for this woman, you should let her know!"

"Yes, I will. Someday." He let out a large sigh. "I fear I am just not the romantic type. It is difficult to know just how to go about impressing a young lady." He wondered at her sudden interest in his love life, but thought this just might be the opportunity he had been looking for to broach a certain subject with her. .

"Well, maybe I could help you! Why don't you practice with me?" She whirled on him with excitement. "I can tell you just what a woman wants from her suitor." She flashed him a triumphant smile. "Yes, this will be fun!"

"Fun!" Diego looked at her narrowly with a slightly amused look on his face. "Are you sure it is just not a way to make fun _of_ me?"

"No, no, of course not. Diego, I'm serious. It's high time you did something about this. You can't just go on forever pining after her from afar! No, it's a good idea. We're friends, aren't we?" She squeezed his arm lightly.

"Yes, we are." He let out another exaggerated sigh. "So what would be your first suggestion?" His face brightened.

"Well." She bit her lip as she thought. "First off, women love to be greeted by their suitors with a kiss of the hand. I hardly ever see you do that."

"Hand kissing, hmm?" He stopped walking, causing her to turn back to him. "Like this?" He grabbed her hand rather clumsily and bent over it, giving it a quick swipe with his lips.

"No, no, no!" She giggled. "Haven't you seen Zorro do it?" A dreamy look washed over her face briefly. "He does it smoothly. He bends slightly and raises my hand to his lips and kisses it so tenderly and slowly. Now, try it again!"

Diego stood there for a moment thoughtfully before he continued, "All right." Then he reached for her hand and executed the kiss flawlessly. For a moment, it took her aback, for Zorro could not have done better. Then her excitement overcame her. He just might be willing to take some instruction from her!

"Yes, yes that's it! See how much more impressive that is!" She was beaming at him now.

"Yes." He chuckled and made an expressive bow indicating his desire for her to continue on the path. "Maybe there is hope for me after all."

They arrived at the church and he opened the gate leading into the small, secluded courtyard that had been transformed into a luscious garden by Padre Benitez. The scents of many flowers assailed their nostrils immediately and they looked at each other as they drank in the fragrance. "See, almost everything is in bloom today!" He gestured toward a bench under a flowering young tree. She walked to the bench but she did not sit. She was absorbing the beauty around her.

"Oh, this is beautiful. Thank you, Diego. I didn't know how much I did need a break from the tavern. Was I so very unpleasant?"

"No, but your mood was disintegrating before my eyes. I do not like to see you that way." He stood there with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling so sweetly at her that she was reminded again of just how handsome her dear friend was.

"But we have gotten away from our subject! Now, back to your lessons!" She laughed and then looked up at him with a sideways glance. "Have you ever kissed her?"

"Kissed her!" Of course not! Victoria, she would be scandalized! And I am not sure I would know where to even begin." He was smiling and staring at his boots.

"Well, let's begin here!" She reached for his left hand. "When Zorro kisses me, he puts his hand on my waist like this." Reaching for his other hand, she continued, "And he sometimes touches my face with his other hand, like this." She turned his hand palm up and leaned her face into it and closed her eyes. "See how romantic this is?"

A few seconds passed before Diego realized just how much faster his breathing had become. Immediately, he pulled his hands away and stepped back from her slightly. Her eyes flew open at the move and she said, "Diego, what's wrong?"

"Victoria, I am not sure these 'lessons' are a good idea. I—"

"Nonsense, Diego. Now, again! There's no reason to be so shy. You are just going to have to get over such shyness to ever make any headway with a girl." She shook a finger at him playfully. "Do you really want to get the girl or don't you?" Without waiting for his answer, she reached out to put

his left hand to her waist again and looked at him encouragingly.

A look of mischief crept into Diego's eyes at the challenge. He placed his right hand along the side of her face as before and asked, "And what does Zorro do next?"

"He bends over and kisses me softly, very softly, on the lips." She raised her face to him expectantly.

"Like this?" Diego bent down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. Her eyes closed as their lips met. For one long moment, her world stood still. Then suddenly, she could feel his breath on her face as he whispered, "And what does he do next?"

She leaned slightly into his arms for support. What was setting off an alarm in her head? This was so …familiar. '_But I've never kissed Diego before!'_ she thought while trying to find the words to answer him. "He…um...kisses me…again…"

"Like this?" His lips came down harder on hers this time and as her lips parted, his tongue teased its way inside her open mouth. Surprise on her part turned quickly into pleasure. She had never dreamed that kissing Diego would be so …so wonderful! The kiss deepened and her hands slipped into his hair even against her own will. A long minute later, Diego pulled apart from her, supporting her as she swayed on her feet.

"Was that better?" Grinning down at her as she opened her eyes, he recognized the amazement registered there.

She let out a long breath and began to speak as a loud crash sounded off to their left. It had come from inside the church. They both turned their heads quickly at the sound, but it was Diego who moved first. He ran to the side door and tried opening it, but it wouldn't budge.

"It seems to be blocked. Victoria, I'm going around to the front." And with that, he was out of her sight before she could even recover her thoughts.

_What had just happened? _She looked about her at the beautiful flowers and the patterned stone patio and tried to draw herself back to their reality. Feeling a little faint, she sat slowly down on the stone bench. To say that Diego's kiss had surprised her would be an understatement. It had all but overwhelmed her. _How did he learn to kiss like that?_

It reminded her…No! That was impossible. She just couldn't even allow herself to think _that!_ But it was very curious. Diego had never shown the slightest interest in any of the girls in the pueblo. He was always the complete gentleman. When she had first learned of his history with Safira, it had surprised her. Then, when he had admitted to another woman in his life, well, she had been stunned. Diego de la Vega! Of all people! Diego? Worshiping after some woman who was unattainable? It was a ludicrous thought. Why, Diego was one of the best catches in the whole of California. He was tall, dark and handsome and rich beyond belief. True, he was a little boring… Boring! She caught herself at that thought. She wasn't exactly thinking of him as "boring" at the moment, now, was she?

She stood at the sound of Diego coming from around the corner of the building. "No one has been hurt. One of those huge candelabra fell across the doorway and was holding it shut. I think there may have been an intruder inside." Diego was clearly concerned. "Padre Benitez says there does not seem to be anything missing, but someone made a mess. I am going to go and help him straighten things. Do you want to …stay here for a few minutes ….or I could walk you back …"

"Yes, I think I'd like to stay here. You go and help the Padre. Or, maybe I should help too?"

"No you don't! I kidnapped you so I could get you to relax for a few minutes, not work. You stay here and I will be back before you know it." He turned to go and then stopped mid-stride a few feet away. She saw him take a deep breath before he turned back to her. Slowly, he stepped back toward her, bent forward, and in one smooth move, took her hand and kissed it with all the elegance of the most formal caballero. As he released her hand, she saw a devilish smile spread across his face before he once more turned and left her.

Sinking back down onto the bench, she stared at the space he had just vacated. What had gotten into the man! Her thoughts were bouncing around wildly. She had never known Diego to be so…well, so rash! She had really expected him to balk at the whole idea of 'lessons' in how to romance his lady friend. But he hadn't. He had almost seemed eager.

She reached for a blossom from the rose bush next to her and sniffed at it absently. It momentarily reminded her of the garden at the de la Vega hacienda. Zorro had kissed her there for the first time, and she smiled at the memory. Someday she would marry Zorro and her life would be complete. But Diego was drifting. He needed to get settled and she was going to help him. Perhaps it wasn't going to be such an impossible job after all. He either had some experience or else he was a very fast learner! But there was something bothering her in the back of her mind, a restlessness that just would not be denied. When he had kissed her… well…_she had enjoyed it! _Wasn't that being disloyal to Zorro? "No, of course not!" she said aloud, and the sound of her own voice surprised her.

"Did you say something?" Diego had returned, and just behind him, Padre Benitez stood watching the two of them with those wise old eyes of his.

"Victoria! I am so glad you and Diego decided to pay a visit to my little spot of heaven. Is it not a glorious example of God's love for us?"

"Yes, Padre, it is," Diego agreed. "I can only imagine how hard you have worked to make this desert bloom."

"Yes, we've had a bit more rain this year and much cooler weather, and it really shows. I have been so fortunate. My friends have been sending me seeds from their gardens from all over. This is the first year I've had such success. Now I must get back to my students. We're doing fractions today!" He wrinkled his nose at them. "I think my students may be praying that I've forgotten with all this excitement."

"At least they would be praying, Padre." Diego chuckled.

"Buenas tardes to you both, and feel free to pick a bouquet to take with you. There's a basket just by the gate. Diego. Victoria." He nodded to them both in turn and went back inside the church.

Diego walked over to the gate to retrieve the shallow basket. "Which are your favorites? The roses?" He began to reach for a rose when she put a hand up to stop him.

"No." Roses were for Zorro to give to her. She redirected his sight to their feet. "Look at these. Pansies! You hardly ever see them. Just look at the colors. Purples and blues, yellow and white. A small bouquet of those would be perfect."

"Hmm, pansies are supposed to stand for thoughts, aren't they?" He knelt down and began filling the basket with the blossoms.

"Are they?" She knelt beside him and also began picking a few of the small flowers.

He picked a perfect white face-like blossom. "A pansy for your thoughts, Señorita?" He smiled sweetly and held it out to her.

"My thoughts? Diego, I… well, I've been thinking….you should have a wife." She watched his face as he averted his eyes from her. "This girl, tell me more about her. I would want to know that she… well, that she… would be right for you."

Diego picked a few more flowers, pulling them out this time harshly, roots and all. "She is very right for me, but convincing you of that might be a problem." Standing up, he brushed the dirt from his hands. "How about some of those? They are quite lovely." He moved a few feet away and began picking some red poppies.

"Diego, you're changing the subject. Why do you always do that? You've developed quite a habit of it lately. And it's mostly when the subject veers too closely to you." She handed him a pansy. "Now, a pansy for _your_ thoughts, Señor. And no hedging!" There was a familiar fire in her eyes when he turned to look in them.

"Very well. The lady in question is in love with another man. I find him a most formidable rival for her affections. She looks right past me." He saw her looking at him intently at the moment and added, "Mostly."

"Have you told her how you feel?"

He turned toward the courtyard wall to pick a rose from a climbing bush. "I have tried to on occasion—"

"Tried! But that's not good enough! Just who is she?" She was getting frustrated and hoped a direct question might startle him into telling her. "What's her name?"

"Victoria." His voice dropped so low, she would have had a hard time hearing any other name but her own.

"Oh, Diego, don't 'Victoria' me! I can't believe you won't tell me something so important to you…sometimes, you make me so …Hmmpf!" When she saw him break into a big grin, she turned away from him indignantly.

"You know I much preferred your 'lessons' to this kind of probing anyway. Why don't we get back to those? Now where were we?" He put down the basket as if in preparation to resume where they'd left off before they had been interrupted.

"We were talking! You know that's important too, to a woman. And right now, you're failing miserably at the subject."

"Yes, I agree. I do seem to always be having one conversation while my lady is having another. It is a problem." He smiled, and his eyes were twinkling.

"I don't understand how you can be so secretive about her. I have always confided in you. That's what good friends do," she said smugly.

"Wait just a minute. I seem to recall an occasion… yes…there was that time just after you sprained your ankle. I complimented you on how happy you looked. And you implied you had a secret and you didn't confide in me then." He shook a finger at her accusingly.

Memories of the time when Zorro had proposed to her flooded her mind. He was right. She had not told even Diego of that. Her best friend. And she had kept it from him. She searched for an excuse, but Diego was continuing.

"And yet you expect me to lay my soul bare and tell you everything! Now isn't that just like a woman!"

He was grinning broadly and she knew he was teasing her. It was so hard to be mad at Diego for very long. He always seemed to know just how far he could push her. How did he know her so well, when he was more of a mystery the more she found out about him? But she waved the thought aside. Bickering was getting them nowhere and it was Diego who needed help right now.

"All right. You've made your point. Maybe we both need to keep some secrets …secret. But we can still work on your…uh…technique. I'm sure it will help."

He moved toward her and placed a hand on her waist. She took a deep breath, but it seemed she only inhaled the scent of the flowers all around her. Feeling her own breathing quicken and seeing his right palm rise toward her face, she backed away from him.

"No!" she said, just a little too forcefully. "I'm sorry, but I can't…" What was wrong with her? Why was she so uncomfortable all of a sudden? This was just Diego, after all! "Well, I mean… I've been gone long enough. Teresa must be wondering where I've disappeared to. I really need to be getting back."

"I understand. Another time, then?" He offered her his arm to escort her back to the gate, and he could see her visible sigh of relief. Within minutes, the subject of their conversation had veered back to safer subjects than that of Diego's love life.

But whatever the topic of conversation was, her thoughts remained with the garden, the roses, and the feel of familiar hands on her waist, familiar lips on hers. Yet, it had not been Zorro she had just kissed; it had been Diego. Why were her emotions making a connection between the two? And why did that upset her so much?

"Victoria!" Diego was waving a hand before her eyes. "I don't think you have heard a word I have said. Where were you?" His eyes still held some hint of merriment.

"I suppose I was back at the garden. It was lovely, wasn't it?"

"Perhaps we could make this a regular escape then? I do find you working too hard these days for your own good. Teresa is perfectly capable—"

Diego felt a tug at his sleeve and turned to find a young boy. "Buenas tardes, niño! And what can I do for you?" He knelt down to the child's level.

"Por favor, Señor!" The child handed a folded note to him. Diego read it quickly and refolded it before slipping it into his pocket.

"And can you tell me who it was who gave you the note?" Diego said, withdrawing a few coins from another pocket to give to the boy.

"No, Señor, but he had a mustache!"

Diego laughed. "That does narrow it down. Mil gracias, little one!" He ruffled the boy's hair as he handed him the coins. The boy's face lit up instantly at his newfound wealth and he ran off to rejoin his friends.

"His family will probably be able to eat for a week with what you just gave him." The generosity of the de la Vega's always amazed her. "What was that all about?"

"Oh, just someone wanting a job as a vaquero," Diego lied smoothly. "I will take care of it later. Well, my lovely señorita, your kidnapping is almost over."

"I really enjoyed this afternoon, Diego."

"You sound surprised! Am I usually so boring?"

"Boring!" A pang of guilt stung at her heart. Had she not just been thinking that earlier? "Of course not, Diego. I just— Diego, you're doing it again! Why do you put yourself down like that?" Diego just bowed his head and she continued, "Do you really think I have so little regard for you?"

"I am not sure. I—"

"This kind of attitude is not going to help you win your lady!" He could be so exasperating at times. But she was determined to help him. "You should—"

"What kind of regard _do_ you have for me then?" Diego had stepped directly in her path and was looking down at her with an inscrutable expression. It was clear he expected an answer.

"Well, I … I…like you. You know that, Diego. We've been friends since we were children. You…I mean, I…and there you go changing the subject again!"

"I did not!" he objected, but she batted him away and continued walking. They were nearing the back door of the tavern.

"We were talking about you and that - that woman that you refuse to identify for me, and you…you…"

"Oh yes, _her_. Well, it looks like that will have to wait for another day." He handed her the basket of flowers. "I give you back to Teresa and whatever work she has managed to save for you. I do need to take care of that vaquero. Until tomorrow, my lady." He bowed from the waist with a graceful flourish and again executed a perfect kiss of her hand. "Think up some more lessons for me." He grinned and left her.

She went through the door to be greeted by a huge stack of dirty dishes. Peeking through the curtain into the outer room, she was relieved to find that the customers had thinned out nicely. Siesta was beginning and, for her, that just meant a chance to catch up on her work before starting to prepare for the evening meal. Teresa came bustling into the room carrying yet more dishes.

"Señorita! There you are."

"Teresa, I'm sorry for deserting you earlier. I—"

"Oh, we did just fine, Señorita. I would have been worried, though, if I hadn't seen you leave with Don Diego. Did you have a nice walk?" Teresa was beginning to wash the pile of dishes in the large tin tub as she talked.

"Yes, it was very …pleasant." She thought back to the overpowering image of the garden, its sights and smells. "Here, I'll do that. You see to the remaining customers and we'll be done in no time." Victoria sighed as Teresa exited back out through the curtain. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts just now. This afternoon had been pleasant, but there was an element about it all that disturbed her. She needed to think this through by herself. Plunging her hands into the hot, soapy water, she began both tasks. Some of her best thinking was done during chores like this. So she scrubbed the bits of left-over food off dirty plates and thought of roses, pansies and the two men that mattered the most to her.

She only wished that Diego would just tell her who the girl was. She mentally went through the available women in the area and couldn't even begin to pick out one that would suit Diego. There were plenty of young señoritas that had set their caps for him, of course. The de la Vega name alone assured that, not to mention that nice, big de la Vega fortune. But she couldn't remember him displaying any interest in any particular one. The fact that he had been engaged to, and indeed almost married, Safira in Spain had been a total surprise to the whole pueblo. It had been in the de la Vega hacienda, that he had told Safira that there was another woman in his life now. Victoria had noticed at the time his glance in her direction. He probably had not wanted to admit that in her presence, and he had certainly been uncomfortable when she had first brought up the subject. But she was not going to let it die. If she were ever going to find happiness in the arms of Zorro, she first needed to make sure of Diego's future happiness. So she turned her thoughts to what lessons she would teach him tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The note in Diego's pocket worried him. The words could be interpreted in many ways. It could have been written by the culprit who had wrecked the sacristy at the church. At least, that's what he hoped. The message, "I know your secret", could involve so much more when you were someone who led a double life. But Diego was willing to bet that the note had nothing to do with Zorro. It had more to do with someone seeing him kissing Zorro's girl. He made his way back to the church to check the scene one more time, this time with a more wary eye.

"Diego! Two visits in one day! Come in, my son. Come in."

"Padre. Have you had a chance to go over the sacristy yet? I was wondering if you had found anything to be missing."

"No, everything seems to be accounted for. If it weren't for the mess, you'd never have known anyone was there. I think someone was in there and maybe saw something that surprised them. Then they turned too quickly and overturned the table by the door. They probably then thought they might be in trouble for it, and caused even greater commotion in their effort to get away quickly. Seems plausible, doesn't it? But why the interest, Diego? You looked as if you had more than enough to occupy your mind this afternoon." Padre Benitez's eyes twinkled at his own joke. "My garden is a nice retreat for a romantic interlude, is it not?"

The color flamed in Diego's cheeks. Of all people, the padre could look into his heart. Padre Benitez had heard his true confessions for a long time. He was an intelligent man and would make good assumptions just as he had just made about the unknown intruder. There was a distinct possibility that the good padre even knew that Diego was Zorro. Diego was sure that, even if he did, he would never divulge that fact. Probably not even to Diego. "Yes, it is, and I hope I may put it to good use again." He gave an embarrassed smile.

"Of course you may. You know, Diego, you can see the whole of the garden from that window in the sacristy." The padre pointed to the window just by the door. "You might bear that in mind the next time you bring the señorita here. And I hope you do. I'm also hoping that today you made some progress with the young lady?" He intoned the statement like a question.

"I am afraid I am not doing particularly well at all in that area." Diego scratched an imaginary itch on the back of his head.

"No?"

"No. Victoria…well…it is common knowledge that she is in love with Zorro." He spread his hands as if this explained everything.

"True. True." The friar sat down on a bench and motioned for Diego to join him. "But it has been a very long time for those two and they are no closer to marriage today than when they first met. Is it not true? But you, Diego, you have so much to offer her."

"That may be, Father, but the lady wants Zorro," Diego said quietly.

"What we want is not always what we need, or what we should have. Diego, Zorro is but a dream, a concoction of someone's fantasy. The results he achieves are real enough, to be sure. But the man—he is merely a person who wears the mask and hides his real self, his true self. But the dream, that dream is a part of a very real man and if Victoria is in love with that dream, wouldn't it follow she'd be in love with the man who concocted the whole fantasy?"

Diego had been thoughtfully staring at the altar before him, trying to follow the Padre's reasoning, but on hearing the last sentence, he turned to the man to examine his face.

The padre only displayed an enigmatic smile. He reached over and patted Diego's hand. "Use my garden, Diego. It is a fine setting for a courtship. Win her heart. Replace her dream with reality. Don't be afraid to show her more of yourself. And don't waste any more time!" He stood to leave.

"By the way, Diego, I have been meaning to ask you if you would mind coming next week to the children's class to help with the more classical side of their education. I would like to expose them to some poetry and you have such a gift for that sort of thing. Maybe a recital of sorts? And if you could possibly even do some sketches for them too? A pity we have no piano in the classroom or I'd ask you to play as well. A visit from a dashing young caballero would make them feel so important. Poetry, art and music! Such romantic endeavors! Enough to turn a young girl's head, I should think! Maybe you should consult Victoria on which poems to read for the children. Women do so love poetry and music." He smiled mischievously at Diego and laughed. "Good day, Diego."

The next day when Diego came into the tavern, there was a telling moment to anyone watching when his eyes locked and held Victoria's for just that one second more than was normal and customary. Victoria had been wondering all morning long how Diego would act toward her after the day before and their unusual afternoon together. She fully expected to see a blush rise in his cheeks. He was so very proper! But his complexion remained pale as she felt the warmth and color flush in her own face. Looking away quickly, she dismissed the unwanted reaction as a result of working all morning in the hot kitchen. She certainly didn't want Diego to think she was in any way affected by his sudden presence.

"Victoria?" Diego had moved up behind her silently.

"Oh, Diego, I—"

"I was wondering when would be a good time for your break. I have a couple of errands, but I could arrange to be back whenever you say."

So he _was _willing to go on with the lessons! Victoria cast a look about the room and mentally ran through her present customers' preferences and the cooking times required. "Oh, I think in another hour, I could be—"

"Good. In an hour then." Diego took out his pocket watch, glanced at it, spun on his heel and left.

"Well!" she thought, "he didn't have to be so business-like about it!"

Precisely one hour later, Diego was back in the tavern waiting for her. Only two customers remained and Teresa was already seeing to them. Victoria pulled off her apron and she and Diego slipped unnoticed out the back door.

But this time, the short walk down to the church was dominated by an awkward silence. They were almost to the gate when Diego finally steeled himself to break it.

"Was I that bad a student yesterday?"

"What—?" He had startled her.

"We didn't have this much trouble finding things to talk about yesterday… or are you dreaming up some new 'techniques' for me to refine?" He gave her a crooked smile with raised eyebrows and she laughed easily.

"Diego, I think you did just fine yesterday. You surprised me, actually. Now, if we can only get you confident enough to begin courting your lady, I think her response would surprise you. I almost envy her." Victoria opened the gate and walked through it into the garden, ignorant of the fact that Diego had stopped in his tracks. Then she noticed him standing there lost in thought. "Diego? Aren't you coming in?"

"Oh, yes, of course." He closed the gate behind him and watched her as she went slowly down the walkway, stopping here and there to smell a blossom. "You think I have a problem with confidence?" he asked.

But she didn't answer.

Shaking his head, Diego smiled to himself. He had already lost her attention to their surroundings. If he were the man he had been pretending to be, his confidence would certainly be taking a beating now. He cleared his throat loudly.

"What? I'm sorry, Diego. What did you say?"

"I asked if you thought I have a problem with confidence." He offered her his hand and led her over to the bench.

"Yes, I suppose I do," she admitted. From out of nowhere, the memory of that fiery speech he had given in Santa Paula came to her mind. No, he had been filled with confidence then. He had even inspired it in others. "But then, I don't think you do in some areas…" she murmured.

"What was that?" Diego asked.

"What I mean is that you just need to be confident with the ladies—"

"You mean '_lady',_" he corrected. "I only desire one."

She frowned. "Yes, 'lady'," she repeated with a big exhale as she pronounced the word. "I think," she turned toward him, "I think that maybe I should know a little more about her so I could—"

"And what would you like to know?"

"What she likes? You know, her likes and dislikes. What's her favorite color? Does she like music?

"Hmm, let me see, her favorite color…" He looked down at the ground momentarily and then brought his head up slightly, looking at her through dark lashes. "What is _your_ favorite color?"

"Mine? Oh, I like blue and deep reds and—" She looked at him sharply. "Oh, no you don't. You're changing the subject again!"

"I was not!" Diego replied indignantly. "I was merely trying—"

"You were merely trying to change the subject from this mysterious ladylove of yours. And here I am trying to help you! I should just give up right now and let you—"

"Victoria, very well, I give up! Just…just tell me what would impress you. What would make you realize that some caballero was interested in courting you? What would he—"

"A caballero! Courting me? Oh, Diego. Since when do you think I would be courted by one of the caballeros? Why that's imposs—"

"It is not! It is not impossible!" Diego had to catch himself to avoid letting his voice slide into the one he used as Zorro. "Victoria, you should never think—"

"Diego, I don't think that is the case. I know it." Diego started to protest again and she reached up and pressed two fingers to his lips to quiet him. "No, it is only the truth. I am not of the upper class of the caballero, of your class." He started to protest once more, but she went on before he could. "I know, I know. I am not of the 'lower' class either. There's somehow a place for me in the middle. I own a tavern." She looked at him sharply. "And I do my job very well! It is a very profitable little business that I run. I see and talk to all the caballeros and their families on a daily basis. They wish me well in church and at gatherings. But that does nothing to elevate me into that special realm they…you…exist in just by being born to the right families."

"But, Victoria, surely you do not think that—"

"You know one of my greatest fears? It's that Zorro belongs to your class. For if that's the case, he and I can never—"

"That is just not true!" Diego swallowed hard. He had to be careful here. He wanted her attention off of Zorro and onto himself as Diego and here he was about to defend Zorro's right to court her! "Zorro does not see 'class' when he looks at someone. He looks into a person's character. He defends the oppressed, but—"

"Yes, isn't he wonderful?" she sighed and turned dreamy eyes to the garden around them.

Long seconds passed before she was aware there was silence. She turned to see Diego standing there, deep in thought. "Diego? What's wrong?"

"I just cannot accept what you say as true. Such things are not as they are in Spain. This is a new land, a land of promise for everyone. If we let ourselves be chained to the old ways of dividing people into classes and confining them within those stations for the whole of their lives, what progress have we made? No, I cannot accept that and neither would Zorro. I think I know him well enough to say that!" Diego let out a huge breath. He felt as if he had just made a decision for the whole of Alta California. And he knew he was fully capable of seeing a positive outcome of such a decision.

Victoria was staring at him. Something was tugging at the back of her mind again. What was it about Diego just then? Then she remembered that speech again. That was it! He had that same fire about him then that he was displaying right now.

Before she could even wonder at the change in him, he was changing once more into the playful Diego of late.

"Now, shall we get back to our lesson for today? What is it to be? How about the correct way to embrace a woman? I am sure you have definite ideas on that." He grinned at her expectantly and held him arms open wide. "So?"

She entered into his embrace meekly, still in awe of the change she'd just seen in him.

"Am I doing it correctly?" He enfolded her in his arms, holding her loosely, lest she rebel. But he felt her relax as he looked down to see her eyes close as she melted into him. One hand around her small waist and one hand gently rubbing small circles on her back, he simply held her a few moments before he again asked, "Is this acceptable?"

"What? Oh, yes, yes, this is fine, just fine. I think you must be a very quick study." He could barely hear her murmuring as she snuggled further up against his chest.

Suddenly, her head jerked upwards and she pulled away from him. "I never realized you were as tall as Zorro!"

"Really? Yes, I think we are much of the same height. Now, what comes next? Do you think we should practice—"

"No!" she said firmly, gathering her thoughts firmly together. "No, I think that will be enough for today. I need to give this some thought, you know, as to what we should cover next. But I'm sure I need to be getting back to the tavern right now. Siesta should be over and business will be picking up. I can't leave the girls to—"

"Of course not. Then let us be going." He gestured toward the gates, and began picking a nice little bouquet on his way as he walked in front of her.

"What are you doing? Picking a posy for your lady?" she teased.

"For the lady before me," he said as he turned and placed the small bunch of beautiful flowers in her hand.

As they went through the gates and back down the street toward the tavern, Victoria wiped a single tear from her eye. It was nice to know Diego considered her a 'lady' even if she knew she was not.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Ignacio De Soto grabbed the packet from Sergeant Mendoza eagerly. He opened the small bundle and ravenously read the paper inside it. "Ah hah!" He looked to the rafters as if to give thanks and said "I will have him now!"

"Who? Mi alcalde?"

"Why, that nefarious outlaw, Zorro, of course. This," he tapped the paper in his hand, "this is exactly what I've been waiting for. A sure-fire trap! Oh, this will be beautiful!" Pounding the desk with his fist, he laughed heartily. "Now, Sergeant, we have work to do!"

Sergeant Mendoza had led a small contingent of lancers around the pueblo all afternoon. Every door in the pueblo now had a sign nailed to it that proclaimed the Alcalde's latest edict.

The hammering at the door of the tavern had even managed to draw Diego's attention momentarily away from the sight of Victoria bending forward to refill his glass.

"What is all that about"

"I have no idea, but I intend to find out!" She slammed the jug on the table, marched over to the door and flung it open wide. "Corporal! Just what are you desecrating my tavern door with now?" She stood with both hands on her hips and arms akimbo. "It can't be anything good!"

"Sí, Señorita, I mean… no, Señorita!" Corporal Sepulveda was very much in awe of the young tavern owner. "It is a notice calling for all the citizens of Los Angeles to register for the Alcalde's new census."

"Census!" But we just had a census taken last year!"

"Indeed!" Diego had come to stand just behind Victoria and was reading the notice over her head. "How many do we need?" he asked. "And why is this being ordered by the Alcalde and not the Governor or the King?"

"Don Diego, I can never answer all your questions. You must—"

"Oh, do not worry, I will!" Diego immediately set stride across the plaza, heading straight for the Alcalde's office. He slowed as he saw the rows of tables and benches that had been set up in front of the quartel gates. The tables were scattered with writing paraphernalia and the Alcalde himself sat behind one of them.

"Don Diego! So good of you to lead the way for all the other good citizens! Come, be the first to register." De Soto held out a quill that had been freshly dipped in ink.

Diego looked suspiciously first at the Alcalde, then at the quill, and then at the papers spread before him. He picked up one but said nothing as he skimmed the questions listed. "Most unusual," he finally commented. "These questions will require rather involved answers, don't you think?"

"Oh, this census form has been specially designed to help us anticipate the needs of the pueblo for the future. Some of the questions might sound unusual, but they all have a unique purpose, I can assure you." The Alcalde sat back in the chair, playing with the quill.

"But it does look like it will take a bit of time to complete, and unfortunately I don't have any to spare just now. I have business to attend to, so if you will pardon me?" Diego smiled and turned to go.

"Of course, but be sure to return later. Anyone who has not filled out the form within the next fourteen days will be thrown in jail."

"Jail! You are joking, of course. I did not think a census was mandatory." Diego crossed his arms and tilted his head to show his disapproval.

"This one is! We will have one hundred per cent cooperation from the people." De Soto's keen eyes leveled on Don Diego. "No exceptions, de la Vega! Understood?"

"Yes, I think I am beginning to, Alcalde. Now, if you will excuse me."

Diego headed back toward the Tavern and Victoria walked out to meet him.

"Did you find out what he's up to this time?" she asked as they made their way across the street.

"I am not sure. But that census form is more than intrusive. He is asking for far more personal information of the people than he needs to for a normal census. Some of the peons that cannot read or write are going to have some difficulty filling out such forms. Could he be counting on that so he can confiscate their properties?"

"Well, if he is, Zorro will have something to say about that!" she said with conviction as she looked back at the sight of the Alcalde sitting at his tables.

"Yes, he certainly will," Diego agreed.

The next day, Victoria looked up to see Diego and his father coming through the door of the tavern. "Diego, Don Alejandro! Ready for refreshments?"

"Yes, please. I must say you are looking lovely today, Victoria," Don Alejandro said while Diego remained silent. She stole a look at him as she filled their glasses. Was he now belatedly embarrassed about their afternoon lessons? She wondered about it as he remained silent while she and Don Alejandro caught up on news. But she did notice that he looked about the room three or four times as if checking for someone as they talked.

"Are you looking for someone, Diego?"

"Oh, no, not really." He did seem nervous today.

"Well, I am just about ready for a break in a little while. Want another lesson?" She smiled and raised a delicate eyebrow.

"Lesson?" Don Alejandro was curious. "And just what are you trying to teach my son?"

"Well," she smiled at Diego and winked at Don Alejandro, "why don't we let that be our little secret for now."

Diego ran a finger along the inside of his collar. She laughed at his reaction and then excused herself to go take the order of the lancers who had just ambled in and sat at the table near the door.

"Lessons from Victoria, eh? Whatever could they be?" he teased his handsome son. Diego had been a little more forthcoming lately with his father as to his feelings for the young tavern owner. It would have been shocking to him indeed, had he not already guessed his son's secret. Zorro's love for Victoria was well known. Alejandro could only wonder at the frustration he must feel when she rejected him as Diego and pined after Zorro. "Lessons" sounded interesting. Perhaps this was the answer!

Diego countered his father's questions by turning their conversation to political issues.

"Ah, yes, Diego, I fear things are about to change. The news is so sporadic from Spain these days. It's been weeks since I've heard from anyone back there."

"Change is not always a bad thing, Father. It can be a way to move forward to better times for all. We shall just have to wait and see. I only hope any radical changes will not prompt any violence. I do not think our garrison is fully equipped for that."

"No, indeed. And our Alcalde is only good at dreaming up new taxes!"

About twenty minutes later, Don Alejandro had struck up a conversation with some other cabelleros about the current beef prices on the market. Diego quietly slipped unnoticed through the curtain separating the kitchen from the dining room. Minutes later, he and Victoria were strolling together down the street toward the church and the Padre's garden. Both had been secretly looking forward to another pleasant hour or so locked away from the world in that luscious setting.

Diego had brought the basket with him and he set it down just inside the gate as Victoria went straight past him. She spun around twice, her skirt swirling in the sunlight, as she drank in the sweet fragrance all around her with joy. Diego leaned against the vine-covered stone wall and smiled at the vision of her. The wall was even taller than Diego and it made a perfect, private meeting place. Except for that one window! He hoped there were no prying eyes behind it today.

"Is this not the most beautiful sight you have ever seen?"

"That, it is!" He said it with enthusiasm, but he was not speaking of the garden, but of the girl. "You seem to appreciate it more today."

"Oh, yes. I was hoping you'd bring me back again. We had such pleasant times here last week." She walked back over to him, swaying her hips in a slightly exaggerated manner. "And did you practice your lessons?"

"Practice! And who would I have practiced _on_?" He opened his eyes wide in mock indignation.

"That is a problem. And they say that practice makes perfect. So how about a review of lesson number one?"

"Whatever my teacher requests." He stepped in close to her, but stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His sudden, apparent nervousness surprised her for just a moment, but she smiled up at the handsome cabellero and continued her teasing manner.

"In our first lesson…" she began, and saw his smile change to a smirk that quickly spread into his eyes, "I believe we were practicing the art of kissing. Do you remember where to place your hands?"

"Here and here, I believe." He demonstrated by placing his left hand on her waist and his right hand along her upturned cheek.

"Very good! You know, we should try a dance lesson— Do you know how to dance?"

"Well, I—" But, as usual, she spoke before he could answer.

"Yes, that would be excellent! The Beltano festival is coming up pretty soon. There will be a dance in the plaza. You could bring your—"

"Victoria, aren't we getting a little far ahead? After all, we should perfect one lesson before going on to the next, shouldn't we?"

"Well, yes, but Diego, a well-rounded person is always impressive. So we will need to work on dancing too. What did you say her name was?" She tossed the question at him oh-so-casually, tilting her head to the side.

He turned his head to the side too, mimicking her, and looked at her strangely through narrowed eyes as he said, "Victoria."

"Oh, very well, don't tell me then! But it was worth a try! Some day you'll slip and tell me."

She laughed pleasantly while he muttered, "What good would it do?"

"Well, for one thing, I could prepare her for you."

"Prepare her? Are you going to serve her up to me like one of your delicious enchiladas?"

"Oh, Diego, be serious. You said she doesn't know that you are… attracted to her. Maybe she just needs someone to open her eyes to that fact."

"I am trying, but—"

"But what?"

"But… it is very difficult to get her to listen to exactly what I am saying." He laughed heartily at the puzzled look on her face. "Let's try something! Let us pretend that it is you I am trying to court. Just what would it take to get you to take me seriously?"

There was silence for several long seconds. He held her gaze steady and didn't waver. "Diego?" A question was on the tip of her tongue, but she held back. One hand was still on her waist and he held her firmly to keep her from backing away from him. "Well, I suppose you would just need to show her how much you cared. Make her know that."

"If she were you, how would you prefer to be shown?"

"But I… I'm involved with Zorro. Everyone knows that, and this would be impossible. If she were me, I mean I, then you'd know that, and—"

He placed his right hand back on her cheek, and as he pulled her into his kiss, he whispered, "Not even this would convince you?"

The kiss was cut short by an eruption of laughter from her lips. "But _I _taught you that!"

"So you did." Diego did not even try to disguise the momentary irritation he felt. "Obviously, it is not that effective then. Show me something else."

"Well, it _can_ be effective. You probably just need more practice."

"But if it doesn't work on you, what good is it?" he teased. "Or are you purposefully teaching me something to which you are immune?" He arched his eyebrows at her suspiciously.

She dissolved into a fit of laughter. He sighed and began to turn away from her. "I probably should just get a book on the subject—"

"Oh, no you won't! You spend too much time with your head in a book as it is! I will not let you learn this sort of thing from a book! Now come here!" she snapped authoritatively.

"Yes, Señorita!" He did as he was told.

They practiced the kiss several more times. And each time, Victoria could swear that he added some little nuance. Her concentration was blurred and she had difficulty each time with seeing Diego's face when she opened her eyes instead of another's. He was definitely a very apt student.

"It's rather warm," she said huskily. "Why don't we go on to something else? I don't think you need any more instruction in this area. Now, we just need to get you to this step with your señorita."

"And what is that going to entail?" he asked eagerly.

Diego seemed almost a different person in this setting. She was astonished at the change in him. Not for the first time, she found herself secretly envying the unknown woman. He was certainly willing to go to a lot of trouble to find out how to win her love.

"How about conversation?" she suggested. "I mean, you can't just start kissing her right away. You will have to let her know through words that you desire her. You should be good with words, Diego."

"Words? Yes, usually, but sometimes they don't come as easily as at other times."

"Then maybe you should plan what you will say to her ahead of time. Think up some compliments."

"Compliments, I have no trouble paying her. But I have seen very few results from them," he confided.

"So, what sort of compliments have you paid her? Do you tell her she's beautiful?"

"Yes, and I always take note of what she is wearing and her moods. I even compliment her cooking quite frequently. It just never seems to make much difference."

He kept talking and didn't see the immediate response on her face to the 'cooking' comment. So she had actually _cooked_ for Diego! That was a revelation! Victoria seethed inside. When Diego looked up and saw the anger, he was nonplussed. What had he said?

"Well, if you're going to continue to be so secretive about her, I'm not so sure I want to continue this. How do I know she is …right for you?"

"She is exactly right for me. Take my word for it." He laughed. "I promise you, she will keep me on my toes!"

"But you keep avoiding answering any real questions about her!"

"I promise I will answer any question you put to me if you will answer but one for me about your relationship with Zorro." He was completely serious now.

"What would that be?" She eyed him suspiciously. She wasn't at all sure she liked the direction this conversation was heading. And why on earth was Diego so curious about Zorro all of a sudden?

"It is just this." He held up a forefinger and began to pace back and forth in front of her as he laid out his case like a lawyer before a jury. "The Alcalde is pressing down on the pueblo with his tyranny more than ever. A pardon for Zorro is more remote than it has ever been. The price on his head stands at six thousand pesos, a very substantial sum. It is an enticing reason for someone to turn him in for it at any time. Spain has her hands full with her own problems and wars on every front. Mexico's armies may be at our doors at any moment. The governor has chosen to ignore our pleas for help. But Zorro is committed to his fight for justice and it seems like it must continue, at least for the time being. My guess is that he has promised to marry you when his fight for justice is needed no more, but you have grown weary of waiting for that day. Any marriage between you and Zorro is impossible as the situation now stands."

"Diego, if this is your way of cheering somebody up, you have a lot to learn!" She almost spat out the words. "What is your question?" She was growing impatient and his assessment of the state of her love life was irritating, even if it was true.

"I am getting to it." He smiled and began his nervous pacing once again. "Zorro obviously lives another life. As that other man, he could marry you right now." He felt, rather than saw, her eyes lock onto him as he stated his last sentence. He slowed his pace so that he would end up right in front of her as he prepared to ask his question. "But there would be one major problem. If his identity were ever discovered or if he were caught, he would be hanged. And his wife would be hanged right alongside of him!" He stood still and studied her face intently. "So my question is this." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you willing to accept such possible future consequences in order to be with him as a wife now?"

She opened her mouth to speak and he placed his fingertips lightly across her lips to stop her. "No. I do not want an answer just yet. I want you to really think about it. Think through all the possibilities and then tell me. I can wait." He let his hand fall to hers and held it. He could tell his words had had his intended effect. She was thinking about the ramifications her dream would really mean for the first time. He could tell the tears were threatening to spill from her eyes and he wanted so much to take her in his arms, but he resisted. No, the time would come, but now, she just needed a diversion from her thoughts..

"So! Now, what is your question for me?"

She was jolted back from her tumultuous thoughts not so much by his question as by his complete change to a teasing tone. "Oh… well…let me think." She didn't want him to see just how much his little speech had unnerved her. Of course, she had thought about discovering Zorro's identity and marrying the man behind the mask. But that image of a double set of hangman's nooses had never really invaded her thoughts. Was she really willing to die for her love? But Diego was waiting. She turned away and began to do a little pacing of her own. She wanted to find a question equal to the serious one he had just presented. "I know! Señor de la Vega, I want to know just how far you're willing to go with this girl." She had approached him slowly as she had spoken. "If she were to be moved by all this newfound … charm… then, would you be willing to go as far as marriage?" She poked a slender finger into his chest on each of the last four words and felt a prick of surprise when it met with hard, firm muscle.

"Yes!" Diego said emphatically. The shock on Victoria's face was instantaneous.

"You would?" she asked weakly. Her mind floundered as he smiled down at her. _Why did this bother her so?_

"What would be the point otherwise? I love her." He said the words so simply, as if explaining why he preferred sunshine to rain. "And if I can determine that she really loves _me_, and not her _idea_ of me, then I will be certain it is the right thing to do."

"Her idea of you? What are you talking about?"

"Well, I just do not think she has a true picture of me. She sees what she wants to see and not the man who stands before her. But someday, she will know me for myself. I promise you that."

"Well, I hope so." But Victoria was having a hard time seeing Diego's point. Diego was the most open person she knew. Or at least, he had been. Until this unknown woman of his had come along and changed everything. Sometimes, he was difficult to understand, but she chalked that up to the fact that he was far more intelligent than anyone else she knew.

Their pleasant afternoon of lessons this time had ended on a somewhat disturbing note. Hopefully, lesson four would go better.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The coach that arrived in the pueblo de Los Angeles was bursting at the seams with passengers. A family of four and two servants had crowded the tall, thin, gray-like man for the entire trip. Breathing a sigh of relief, he disembarked lastly from the coach. He was still straightening his cravat and dusting imaginary dirt particles from the front of his suit when the Alcalde walked up to him and bowed from the waist.

"Señor Hodge, I presume?" 

"You may not! It is _Lord_ Hodge to you, Sir. Lord Percival Bradley Hodge, that is. And who might you be?" He peered disdainfully over the rims of his glasses at the elaborately uniformed man before him.

"I am Ignacio De Soto, Alcalde of this fine pueblo. I was the one who sent for you." He offered the last bit as an aside, as if to indicate that some sort of conspiratorial relationship already existed between the two men.

"Indeed, _Mr_. De Soto." After the journey he had just endured, Lord Hodge was not very willing to accept any show of familiarity. "I trust you have arranged for a decent place for me to stay."

"Of course, my lord, I have the very best room reserved for you at the inn. Mendoza!" he yelled loudly, and Lord Hodge shrank back in disgust at the common behavior.

"Sí mi alcalde!" Mendoza appeared from out of nowhere at the Alcalde's elbow.

"Sergeant, you will take Lord Hodge's bags to his room." De Soto gave another exaggerated bow. "After you, my lord." The Alcalde swept out an arm and bowed. "Once you are settled in your accommodations, Sergeant Mendoza will escort you to my office where we can get down to business."

"Business? I will have you know, De Soto, what I do isascience, an artbut it is definitely _not_ a 'business'." He let his lips curl into a sneer around the word.

"Of course, Lord Hodge, of course. But you _do_ think you can do this, do you not?" De Soto licked his lips at the thought.

"I do not see that your small problem will present me with any great degree of difficulty. I have achieved results wherever and whenever I have endeavored to apply my findings in the capture of notorious outlaws. I do not see why your Zorro should be any different. You will capture him with my help. I assure you of that.

"Excellent! Excellent. This way, Lord Hodge."

Diego had watched the entire interchange from across the plaza. Pretending to adjust the reins on his horse, he was able to hear every word.

Diego sat at the piano in the sala, setting to paper the notes of his composition as he went along. The song was coming along nicely and he was so absorbed in the whole process that he never even heard the visitor being let in through the front door by Felipe.

"Diego!" Victoria stood in the archway, feigning anger.

"Victoria!" he greeted her warmly. "How nice of you to—"

"You have not had a lesson in days!"

"Victoria, I have been rather busy late—"

"Oh yes, I see. But we must not neglect your studies." She smiled at him invitingly and he rose from his seat. "What are you doing? Learning a new piece?" She walked toward the piano and he deftly barred her way.

"No, just …just…uh, Victoria, you came all the way out here to give me another lesson?"

"Actually, no. Maria and I are trading some preserves and since Teresa was…but you know it's not a bad idea. Why not? You could still use a dance lesson, I believe." As she spoke, she craned her neck around him, trying to see what he was hiding from her. "What was that piece you were playing when I came in? It was lovely."

"Oh that?" Diego turned and gathered up the pages quickly, and it was obvious he wanted to hide them from her view. "Just a little something I was working on…" His apparent embarrassment piqued her curiosity even more. "So, a dance lesson? But what would we do for music? I don't think—"

"We don't need music. We can just go over the steps…" She turned away from him as she spoke and at the sound of rustling papers, turned back around quickly to grab the sheets from his hands.

"Victoria! Don't! You can't—"

"Oh, but I can—" She stopped as she straightened the papers out before her and read the title. "_Lady of the __Pueblo_? You wrote this, Diego?" She kept her voice steady.

"I am working on it. It is not very good. I am afraid I lack the talent—" He began to fumble with the quills atop the piano nervously. "It really is just for my own …" His voice trailed away feebly.

"So you are writing songs for her now?" She forced a smile she did not feel around her gritting teeth. "How sweet!" She handed the papers back to him and he replaced them carefully on the piano bench.

"Yes, well…"

"You know, Diego, I just remembered I can't stay for any lessons just now. I need to get back—"

"Oh?" Diego relaxed visibly. "Perhaps tomorrow? Maybe you could come for dinner?"

"Yes, that might be nice. But for now, I had better be getting back to the tavern." She turned to go and then thought of the jars in the wagon. Turning back around quickly, she found her face right up against Diego's chest.

"Oh, sorry," he apologized as he backed away from her. "I though I would see you to the door."

Victoria smiled sweetly. "And I was just going to ask if you'd be so good as to carry the jars in for me."

"Of course!" And with that, Diego went quickly through the door to do her bidding.

"Victoria!" Alejandro greeted her as he walked up behind her. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company, my dear? It is so good to see you." He extended a hand to her as she whirled around to greet him.

"Don Alejandro! How nice to see you. I've brought preserves and some of that plum jam you like. Maria and I have been doing some bartering to keep you men supplied."

"How thoughtful and how lucky we are. It is getting late. You should stay for dinner, Victoria."

Diego came in with his arms loaded with two baskets of jars. "She cannot stay, Father. But I have asked her for tomorrow night." He tossed the comment over his shoulder as he headed down the hallway toward the kitchen.

"Then we shall look forward to that."

Victoria made her exit from the hacienda with haste, leaving Alejandro standing there wondering. His reverie was broken when Diego returned.

"She's left already?"

_Now, how could his son sound relieved and disappointed at the same time? _Don Alejandro wondered to himself. But aloud, he merely stated, "Yes, I think she had things to do at the tavern. A pity? Heh?"

Then he wandered casually over to the piano and picked up the music sheets and began looking at them thoughtfully.

"You know, I heard your conversation and _I _think you did not want the señorita looking too closely at this. But I don't see anything… Oh wait!" Alejandro's voice was playful. It was clear he was teasing his son. "I know! It's not the front of these pages that you didn't want her to see. It is this drawing on the back of one of them!" He finished with a triumphant laugh.

"Father, please, I—"

"Oh, why not let her see this, Diego. It is quite good. Anyone could tell it was Victoria. She would be flattered."

"Perhaps. But it may be too soon to let her know that—"

"That you care for her? Nonsense! It is never too soon for that. Believe me, women never tire of hearing they are desired. And it is high time that you make it plain to her about your feelings. Look, Son, it is not going to get any easier the longer you wait. You need to take the bull by the—"

"Spare me, Father, the metaphors. I will. I will. I told you I had decided to do this and I will. I just was not quite prepared tonight."

Alejandro sighed loudly.

"It is just not as easy a situation as you think, Father. I have to do this at my own pace."

"Just don't take too long. The moment could slip away before you realize it." Alejandro handed his son the music sheets and left him standing in the sala alone.

It _was_ getting late. So it was that after a few moments of indecision on Diego's part, Zorro set out on Tornado to assure that Victoria made it back to the pueblo safely. The air was cool and the ride was pleasant even though he found himself holding back the horse at several points on the trail because Victoria kept stopping. Keeping to the shadows along the way, he watched her and wondered why.

Victoria's conflicted feelings were at war within her own heart and mind. She recognized a bit of jealousy there and it surprised her. Surely she was not so petty as to begrudge the same happiness for Diego she would surely have in her relationship with Zorro. She would just have to make up her mind to push forward with Diego. Now he was writing songs for his lady. Never mind that Zorro had never done such a thing for her. Zorro was different – a man of action. And Diego was apparently a more romantic man than she had ever imagined him to be. It was just surprising, that's all.

Zorro waited outside the archway into the plaza for a long while. He had his own thoughts to keep him company, and those thoughts were churning away inside him.

"Here I am about to break into the quartel with armed soldiers all about and am I afraid of that?" he whispered to himself. "No, not at all, for I am _Zorro_." He said the name of his alter ego with a flourish before he added sheepishly, "But that slip of a girl! How on earth are you going to proceed with her?" He bowed his head and shook it slowly. Then he knew it was time. He edged Tornado around the gates and into the plaza.

The strong moonlight streamed into the Alcalde's office through the open window, and the catlike form of the caped man melted into the shadows near the walls. Zorro knew the lay-out of the office well.

An hour later, Zorro was finished with his inspection of the Alcalde's office and had confirmed the purpose of Lord Hodge's visit. The Englishman was apparently an expert of some repute concerning the subject of analyzing handwriting, and the census was a means to compare Zorro's handwriting with every man's in the entire pueblo.

With the work of the night done so quickly, Zorro found himself once more outside the building. His eyes were caught by the lights of the second floor over the tavern. He knew the window belonged to Victoria's room and he could see the flickering of the candlelight as she moved about in the room. She was awake.

He came through the window effortlessly. A slow bow over her hand, and he was touching her face tenderly with a black-gloved hand. "Victoria, you light up the darkest night with that smile."

"Oh, Zorro, I've missed you. It seems like forever since—"

"I have been rather busy. And, so it seems, have you." His even tone didn't sound accusing, but her head lowered in embarrassment. "I understand you have a pupil?"

"Oh, that's nothing!" How had he found out about that? "Really! I'm sure whatever you've heard is—"

"So I have nothing to worry about in this?"

"Never! You should know that." But what was she feeling that prickling of guilt at the base of her soul?

"Yet, there are some that say I should call the man out. I should not like to think Don Diego has been forcing his affections on you. I can take care of it?" She saw his hand resting on the hilt of his sword and grew alarmed.

"No!" she cried out forcefully, then lowered her voice with some effort. "No, Diego is in love with some lady in the pueblo. I am just helping him…develop…a technique. That's all. There is no need to—"

"I do have a reputation to protect." He let the hand fall to his side. "But I am first, last, and always, your servant." He put two fingers to the brim of his hat. "Still…" Turning his back on her, he began to pace about the room. The look on her face was absolutely priceless. But he couldn't risk showing any amusement. "I would not think that young de la Vega would need any instruction from one such as yourself. He was, I understand, in Madrid?" He turned back around to see her nod affirmatively, but her face showed confusion. "Even I have heard of the off campus delights at the University there." He smiled broadly, finally relieved he could do so.

"Off campus delights!" she repeated in horror, her eyes growing huge. "Diego! No! He wouldn't--" Then it dawned on her that it was perhaps not a good thing to be discussing Diego with Zorro.

"Oh, but, Señorita! He is a man. For all his piety, he is still just a man." He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "It would be well for you to be cautious. One such as he might 'swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire'. One never knows."

"Well, the 'rage' I can attest to! Diego's done that often enough with me. He can be so maddening at times. But 'kindle my desire'? No, no, not Diego. No, no…" She caught herself, wondering if she was protesting too much? "Why, he's like a brother to me." She expressed herself with sweeping hand gestures, as if to emphasize her point. So wrapped up in her own explanation and in trying to reassure him of her fealty, she missed entirely the hurt look that flitted across Zorro's face, not totally hidden by the mask.

"Well, then, it is good to know I should have no concerns about all this." He smiled a smile he did not feel and thought it was a mistake to have come here tonight. "I must leave, Señorita. The lancers are not all in their beds tonight and my presence here is not wise.

"No, don't leave just yet. You only just got here. It's not fair! I never get to see you anymore for more than a few minutes. You always go rushing off into the night—"

"But—"

"And besides, you could help me with Diego."

"I?" Zorro felt a warning tingle run up his spine.

"Yes, you could. You certainly know how to …well… to please a woman. So you could tell him how to—"

"Señorita! I am not at all sure I should be the one to ask to do something like this. Besides, I think you underestimate Don Diego. He may not need your instruction.

Her eyes narrowed on him. "What do you know about Diego that I don't?"

"Just that you would be wise to be careful. But trust me in this. _I_ am not the one for this task."

"But I worry about him so," she complained. If only she could keep Zorro talking, he wouldn't leave her and she needed his presence tonight.

"You worry?" Zorro turned back to her and said, "And what is it that concerns you about him?"

"Well, this woman, of course! I don't know who she is, for one thing and—"

"Why does it matter to you who she is?" Zorro settled himself upon the windowsill.

"Because," she drew out the word as she collected her thoughts, "I would like to make sure Diego is… choosing wisely this – this – this _woman_ that he would make his wife."

Zorro noticed with relish that her hands were clasping, unclasping and balling into fists as she spoke.

Surely there was more to her concern than would be normal for a "brother"? It gave him heart.

"Victoria, I do not quite understand why you—"

"Oh! Men! You and Diego are two of a kind!" She turned and began pacing, rubbing her palms together. "You can't see that he's in danger? I mean, that he needs to be careful of this woman. Who knows if she—" Her voice was rising in note and the tone of it reached her own ears and caused her to halt. "Why, she could be after his money! It's not as if she's out there openly trying to catch him. No, she's sneaking around behind my – I mean – everybody's back and who knows what kind of lies she's been telling him, what kind of—" She whirled around and shook her finger at Zorro just inches from the masked eyes. "Do you know she _cooked _for him?"

He could not help the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips, and he coughed nervously and covered his mouth quickly with his hand. But not before she saw it.

"Zorro!" Her furor was still in force and now she turned it on him. "This is not amusing! OH! I can't believe that you can be so unfeeling about this." She stood there fuming, hands resting on her hips and shifting her weight from side to side.

"Forgive me, Victoria. I do see your problem and I am sure it will all work out for the best. As for me, I fear I have already stayed longer than I had intended. I shall say goodbye for now." He turned to the window and slipped through it with ease. Turning back to her, he tipped his hat. Then seeing the look of anger on her face, he said no more and disappeared into the night.

Victoria stood there looking at the open window, the curtains to either side of it moving slightly with the breeze. Her breathing was still heavy and she could not believe he had left her with no kiss, no farewell embrace. She could also not believe that, for once, she was relieved he had not. Sometimes he made her so mad! No, that wasn't right. Zorro hardly ever made her mad. It was Diego that brought that emotion out in her so often. It was Diego who was making her mad tonight. It was Diego…

But it was Zorro who had laughed at her tonight. And she had reacted toward him the same way she would have if Diego had laughed at her. The thought was not a pleasant one as she readied herself for bed. She had a feeling she would not be sleeping well tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Dinner at the de la Vega hacienda had been delicious and the talk at the table had come to a lull. Diego saw his opportunity and took it.

"Father, weren't you going to talk to Juan about the new bull today?"

"Oh! You're right. I nearly forgot. I'm so glad you reminded me. Victoria, if you will pardon me? I do want to make sure he understands my instructions."

"Oh, of course." She smiled at Don Alejandro as he left quickly. Several uncomfortable seconds passed. Then they both began to speak at the same time.

"Diego, I—"

"Victoria, Would you—" Diego held up a hand. "Sorry, you first."

"Well, I was just going to say 'thank you' for the lovely meal. This has been a most pleasant evening. And you?"

"Hmm." He tapped a finger on his lips as if wondering what he should say. When he hesitated, Victoria decided to continue.

"Padre Benitez says you are going to recite some poetry for the children next week. What poems have you chosen?"

"I haven't really. I was thinking of a few Shakespearean sonnets, but they did not seem quite appropriate, so—"

"Why not?"

"The pupils are all younger under twelve and the sonnets are…well…romantic…hardly appropriate."

"Then, let's go find some that are appropriate." She folded her napkin and backed her chair from the table.

"To the library then." Diego agreed.

They rose together and made their way to the library.

Settling rather awkwardly on the love seat together, they slowly began sifting through some volumes of poetry and plays. At Victoria's request, Diego began reading aloud the ones he had previously marked for her approval. It did seem like none were going to be very suitable for the children. Every single one of the ones he had picked out caused her to think of nothing else but love and romance.

"How about this one? It has always been a particular favorite of mine." Diego began to read.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day—"

"No! Not that one!"

"But it is lovely. The cadence is perfect—" He stopped and looked over at her. "Too romantic?"

"No, it's just—" She looked uneasy as she tried to explain. "It's the one Zorro…" Her voice trailed away to nothing.

"Oh, him again! Well, we cannot allow me to tread into that territory, can we?" He began turning the pages in a somewhat irritated fashion. "Perhaps one of these later ones. I shall keep looking."

Her eyes stole a glance at his face as he turned the pages. She hadn't wanted to anger him, but she feared that was exactly what she'd done. Why was it that he just couldn't understand her feelings for Zorro? They were the two men more important to her than life itself, and it seemed Diego was continuously at odds with Zorro. If she was willing to talk about this, this nameless love of his, then why couldn't Diego at least calmly discuss Zorro with her sometimes?

"I do not suppose this one is a possibility either but it is so lovely" He cleared his throat softly, and then he started reading and she leaned back and closed her eyes.

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:"

The timber of his voice suited the beauty of the words so well. She couldn't suppress a small sigh as he continued.

"O, no! It is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken."

He looked up from the book, but continued to recite. This was one of his favorites and he'd committed it to memory long ago.

"Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom."

He paused for effect before reciting the last couplet.

"If this be in error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved."

As he finished the last line, he looked over at her expectantly. It was obvious from her face that she was lost in a vision the poem had conjured up for her. For a brief moment, he was pleased at this effect his recitation had had on her. Then it occurred to him she was probably relating the words to his "rival". He closed the book rather loudly to draw her out of her reverie. "So, this one meets with your approval then?"

"Oh, yes. That one is very nice!" She said it almost absentmindedly. How could he get back her attention? This whole evening was going nothing like he had planned. He got up from the loveseat, took her hands, and pulled her to her feet.

"Come with me to the garden." He held onto one hand and led her out into the courtyard. "Much nicer out here, don't you think? Now, I'm ready for another lesson."

"I'm beginning to think you never needed lessons in the first place. I think you've been holding back on me. Just how experienced are you with women, Diego?"

"Experienced? You never once asked me about my experience." He had that look of devilment again in his eyes.

"Well, then, Señor de la Vega, I am asking you now! How much experience have you had?"

She made a show of reaching up to straighten his cravat. She liked the formal attire he had chosen for tonight. He did seem to be paying more attention to his clothes lately. When she found him staring at her, not answering her question, she stopped. The gesture had been quite intimate and she had only just realized it.

"That would depend on the kind of experience we are talking about." He caught both her hands in his and raised them to his mouth. She smiled, expecting him to kiss the back of one of them to once again display how he had learned that very first lesson. But she drew a sharp intake of breath when she saw him turn her palms toward his face and place a slow, tender kiss on the center of each one. Then his lips moved to her fingertips, progressing slowly from one to the next. Her breathing became deeper and her heartbeat began to race as she watched him. She felt a growing impatience inside as her whole body trembled in response to what he was doing.

Then he suddenly stepped back two feet, dropping her hands abruptly and announced in a cheerful voice, "I picked that up on a side trip to Paris." Then he turned on his heel and strode back into the library.

It took her several minutes to compose herself. Then she ran into the room after him. She found him with his nose already buried in the book of poetry again. "I was thinking…" he said, "there are plenty of nice long speeches in some of the plays that would perhaps be more suitable—"

"In Paris!" She couldn't quite control the hard edge of her voice. "And just who taught you that in Paris?"

"Who?" His face reflected complete bafflement. Then the smallest hint of merriment twinkled in his eyes. "Does it matter? That was an awfully long time ago. I am not sure I can even remember just—"

"Have you tried that on your mystery woman yet?" She was still speaking sternly and just a little bit too loudly.

"Yes. Just recently, as a matter of fact."

"And?"

"You could say it produced the desired effect." He paused. "And then some."

"Diego!" She was truly shocked at his behavior. Her boring caballero was turning into quite a ladies' man and she didn't like it. She did not like it at all, not one bit. "How could you—"

"You know," he interrupted her before she could get too excited. Servants probably had ears to every door. "If I did not know better, I would swear you were jealous."

"Jealous! You'll never see the day, Señor de la Vega!" She crossed her arms and stamped a pretty foot.

"Oh, really, Señorita Escalante?" He got up, stepped forward to her, tossed the book on a chair and took out his pocket watch. Grabbing for her wrist with his other hand and holding it curiously between two fingers, he began looking at the timepiece intently.

"What are you doing?" But he gave her no answer. "Diego, what do you think you are—"

"Shhh!" For several more long seconds, he continued looking at the timepiece and holding her wrist.

"Diego, if this is something else you learned in _Paris_," she spat out the word at him, "then I want nothing to do—" She stopped as he abruptly let go and slipped the watch back into the pocket of his chaqueta..

He announced in a very matter-of-fact tone, "The pulse rate of a señorita of your age has been found to be, on the average, about 72 beats per minutes. Yours, right now, is about 93 beats per minute. I would say that constitutes a scientific finding of 'jealousy'!"

"Hah! That's preposterous!" Her mouth dropped open at the idea of it.

"Jealousy is an enteral response. An increased heart rate is a sure sign of that. Are you going to argue with medical science itself?" He looked probingly into her widened eyes.

"I've never heard of such…So what if it is faster? Why, I'm so mad at you, I could—"

"And why is that? Just exactly what have I done to cause so much anger? Hmm?"

The look on his face infuriated her even more. "You're being ridiculous, that's what!"

"The fact that I appear to have learned some … techniques… in the subject of romance from some other source, other than yourself, and have practiced said techniques on a hitherto un-named female has nothing to do with it?"

"Nothing!" Her eyes were as hot as coals. "The day I become jealous of _you_…well… I just…"

But her words faltered as she watched him calmly turn his back on her and seat himself at the piano as if she were not even there. He began playing a soft, soothing piece of music she had never heard before now. Her eyes flitted back and forth between his hands moving elegantly across the keyboard to his handsome, passive face. Why was it he could make her so angry, and so quickly. It was so typical of him to do a complete change like this and pretend as if nothing was wrong. Well, this time, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of … Of what? She was angry. And she wasn't even sure why. She willed her heart to slow down its beat. After a few minutes, she slid down onto the piano seat beside him. With a controlled, even voice, she asked, "So what is the name of this?"

"It is called 'Fur Elise', a piece by Beethoven. I received the music only last week. Lovely, isn't it?"

"Yes." She was moved as much by the sight of his long, slim fingers touching, no, almost caressing the keys as the beautiful music itself. "It must be nice to be able to have music whenever you like. I wish I knew how to play like this." She spoke quietly so as not to disturb the mood.

"I could teach you." He glanced down at her as he continued to play softly. "But could you handle my giving you lessons?"

"And just what do you mean by that?" Her anger flared once more.

"Calm down. It is just that I don't think you believe me to be accomplished at very many 'useful' skills."

"But playing the piano is—"

"—Not considered very utilitarian by most of the people in the pueblo."

"But it's creating something beautiful! For people to enjoy. You've played for many of the people and they've enjoyed it. I know they have!"

He smiled inwardly at her defense of him. "Not very useful, though, is it? Not like…say…fencing…or fighting?"

"If you don't want to talk about Zorro, then why do you keep bringing him up?" She knew she'd surprised him then. He opened his mouth to reply, but she kept talking. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to make me think of what he might be like when he's not being the hero."

"Well, no. But it is a valid point. Somewhere underneath that mask, he is just a man. A man with faults and imperfections. A man who does not always succeed at everything he attempts. Are you ready to accept that man?"

"I think so." Her voice was only a whisper. "I'm just afraid of one thing."

"And what is that?" He was suddenly very concerned. His eyes searched her face as she answered him.

"Well, every time we have been together, it's always so rushed, so hurried. It's always exciting, but I wonder if …when there's really time to be together, will I enjoy being with him doing something normal. Will I be as comfortable with him someday as I am with you, for example?"

"Comfortable," Diego repeated. "Much like an old shoe? Please, any more compliments like that, and I shall have to—"

"Oh, Diego, you know what I mean. We laugh, we joke, we—"

"We fight?" They both burst out laughing.

"Yes." Their eyes met and locked and the laughter died on their lips. There was an unseen pull that existed between them, and they began to give in to it as their faces neared each other. But Victoria blinked and pulled back.

She got up from the bench and announced that she must leave. "It's late, and I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow."

"I will ride back with you." He stood.

But she refused. "No, I can find my way back perfectly on my own."

He bowed and seemingly accepted her wishes. But the minute the door closed behind her, he was making his way back to the sala and the secret panel into the cave. Zorro would make sure once again she got home safely.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Victoria filled a glass with orange juice for Diego at the bar and smiled sweetly up at him. "You're here late tonight, Diego?"

"Yes, I wanted to have a word with Lord Hodge. Is he here?"

"Yes. In his room. I expect he'll be down shortly. We have laid in a nice supply of Scotch Whiskey for the man. He has quite a fancy for it and has downed a bottle every night before he goes up to his bed. He's quite amazing. He never even acts as if it affects him at all.

"And that impresses you?" Diego laughed.

"Well, if a man is going to drink, it is better that he knows how much he can handle before he starts. Lord Hodge has been a perfect gentleman." She paused before she whispered with a smile, "Even if he is a little too pompous!"

Diego laughed again. Then he checked his timepiece. It was getting late. "Victoria, do you have an extra room, tonight? I may want to stay in town if my conversation with Lord Hodge drags on too long."

"Of course, Diego. The room next to mine is free tonight."

"And possibly a little something from the kitchen later, as well? I think I've managed to forget to eat this afternoon."

"And why is that? You've been sitting here for the past hour. You could have asked for something."

"Why, I have been mesmerized by your beauty. All thoughts of the needs of my flesh were lost as I sat here enchanted by your charms." He smiled and winked at her.

She paused in surprise and then slapped at him with her dishtowel. "I think you've been reading too many of those sonnets, Señor de la Vega. I'll make sure you have everything you need." She excused herself to tend to her other customers. But when she turned around, there was a big smile on her face.

It was another hour before Lord Hodge came down the stairs. Diego wasted no time in getting his attention and the two men were soon deep in conversation at a table in a back corner. Diego nursed his orange juice while the British peer downed a whole bottle of whiskey. It was amazing, just as Victoria had said. The man was still coherent and animated as he discussed the fine art of handwriting analysis with Diego.

Victoria set the second bottle of whiskey down on the table as she gave Diego an inquiring glance. But for once, he ignored her. "More juice, Diego?"

"No, thank you." He was dismissing her and she knew it. She stalked off to wait on her other customers as he thought to himself. "I'll pay for that later." But aloud, he only said, "So, Lord Hodge, you are saying that even if one used his left hand to write, you would be able to still identify his writing?"

"Oh, yes, Señor de la Vega! You see, handwriting comes from the brain, not the hand." This was the subject he loved most in the world and he could talk for hours on it. In truth, he was one of the foremost researchers in the new methods of study and the task before him was quite a challenge. "This Zorro will not be able to elude _me_ that way!" He filled his glass with whiskey and then saw Diego's glass was empty and started to fill it as well.

"Uh, no, sir," Diego objected. "I don't usually—"

"Young man, if you are going to sit here picking my brain like this - and that is what you are doing and I want you to know I am well aware of it - then you are going to drink with me! I don't like drinking alone when I am not alone. Now drink! It's actually very good scotch. Surprising to find it in this backward little town of yours, but it is very good scotch indeed. Now, drink, Lad!" He waited expectantly for Diego to lift the glass, and Diego smiled nervously but finally complied. The fiery liquid burned going down his throat, for he was not used to liquor. He coughed and the older man laughed. "Every man should develop at least one vice, and the taste for scotch is an admirable one! Now, where was I? Oh...yes… the Alcalde was very correct in asking for my help, though how he knew I was in Monterey is a mystery to me. And he was quite lucky as well. I had planned to leave the very day I received his message. But I cancelled all my plans once I found out I could help catch this criminal. That's my mission in life now—catching criminals. Well, at least, educated criminals. I leave the illiterate riff-raff to the mundane police constables."

Diego was growing exasperated at the length of time it was taking to extract his information from the man. How he did go on! It never took anything near this long with Mendoza. "But, Lord Hodge, you say it comes from the brain. How do you know that?"

"Because of the way you learn to write, of course. You were taught the way the letters look and then you tried to copy them. Your brain and your eyes saw the picture. You hand merely tried to copy it. If you were to, say, use your nose to write your name in the sand—" Diego chuckled at the thought. "You laugh, but if you did, your 'nose-writing' would have all the same elements as your handwriting."

"So what you are saying is –" Diego stopped as Lord Hodge pointedly looked at the nearly full glass before Diego. Eager for the man to continue, Diego took a small sip in compliance. When he saw the frown that elicited, he drained the glass. "So what you are saying is that there is no way for Zorro to fool you, provided you get a sample of his handwriting as his other self?" He tried to keep his composure as he finished his question, but the whiskey wouldn't let him. He began sputtering and coughing. Besides drawing a few curious glances from others about the room, the only response he got from Lord Hodge was a freshly refilled glass. Looking at the glass, which seemed to be growing in size by the minute, Diego sighed and shook his head. This was going to be a very long night.

"Oh, there are ways. But one would have to have a lot of practice. Zorro will have to produce a handwriting sample, as his 'other self' as you put it, within the next few days or the Alcalde will know who he is by default. And I doubt very seriously that in that length of time, he could practice a different style of writing that would fool my practiced eye. I can only remain in Los Angeles for three more days and then I must leave for San Pedro in order to catch my ship home. I have wasted far too much time here already. And now, I have a question for you. Your Alcalde describes this Zorro fellow as a rather brute of a man. I'd like another opinion of him if I am to be the cause of his hanging. What do you think of him?" He studied the young cabellero over the rim of his own glass and, with a motion of his finger and a glint in his eye, encouraged Diego to upend his glass once more.

Diego took a long, but more cautious sip this time. "Zorro is a hero to the people. He fights for justice, although he is not always following the straight and narrow of the law when he does. You can ask any person in the pueblo and they will tell you that. Do not blindly believe what the Alcalde tells you of the man."

"Are the rumors about Zorro and Señorita Escalante true?"

"What rumors?" Diego didn't like the turn the conversation was taking. Lord Hodge motioned for him to drink up once more and Diego wondered fleetingly just who was pumping whom for information. Diego took another long drink from his glass.

"She and Zorro are promised to each other. That's what I've heard just today. I have really grown to admire the señorita and this surprised me greatly. I also heard another curious rumor concerning you."

"Concerning me?" Diego echoed. "And what would that be?" He continued to sip as he felt the eyes of the older man eye him expectantly.

"That you have begun to court the young lady yourself lately. Is it true?"

Diego shifted on the hard wooden bench nervously. "Well, I would not say that …exactly. Victoria and I have been friends a very long time. She is a lovely woman, and there are very few women of marriageable age in the area." He lifted the glass yet again and drank, more to avoid stopping the flow of words from his own mouth rather than for the drink itself.

"If Zorro were caught and hanged, that would make the way clear for other suitors, would it not? A suitor such as yourself?"

"But one has nothing to do with the other." Diego smiled and tried to collect his thoughts. "Zorro is not a criminal—in the real sense of the word. He does not deserve to hang."

"Then you believe this 'trap' to be unfair?"

"Yes." Diego would have liked to say more. Normally, he could have done so eloquently. But he was beginning to feel the dulling effects of the whiskey and he needed to call an end to this. He wasn't sure he could successful cajole any more useful information out of Lord Hodge and it was obvious that the older man could definitely withstand more alcohol than he. Diego might even begin to become a wealth of information himself if he didn't leave soon.

"Well, my boy, drink up. Perhaps there is a way out of this for Señor Zorro, but I would have to be absolutely convinced—"

His words were lost as shots rang out in the streets outside. Almost every man in the room rose from his seat at the same time, but no one noticed the unsteadiness with which Don Diego de la Vega did so. And no one noticed as the half-empty bottle of scotch tumbled from the table and spilled all over his boots.

Feeling as though he were moving in quicksand, Diego found himself behind the whole group of men as they ran through the doorway and crowded into the street to see what was causing the turmoil in the street.

Then he felt someone pulling at his sleeve. Felipe was motioning him to follow him around the corner. Felipe had been prepared. Zorro's things awaited him there with Tornado. It took several minutes before he had completed the change. Felipe stood guard at the corner and when he looked back to see Zorro mounted and ready, he stepped forward and melted into the crowd.

Zorro rode straight into the battle between lancers and vaqueros and assessed the situation in minutes. After disarming several of the soldiers with a few licks of his whip, he managed to unhorse the four troublemakers easily. The vaqueros had ridden into town drunk and fired off some wild shots. No one had been hurt, and the lancers quickly rounded up the young vaqueros and headed them off to the quartel jail. Zorro was about to turn Tornado towards the gates of the pueblo when he and the horse both tensed to the cry. "Shoot him! Kill Zorro!"

Several more soldiers were streaming out of the quartel and the ones near him were struggling to reload. De Soto himself had a primed pistol ready and took his best aim. The shot went just past Tornado's nose and the horse reared high. The crowd gasped as Zorro was thrown from Tornado's back and the horse ran off toward the gates. But in seconds, he had scrambled to his feet and drawn his saber as the Alcalde slowly moved toward him, sword in hand.

"Not up to your usual perfection tonight, I see!" De Soto gave a throaty laugh. "En guard, you worthless outlaw!"

De Soto lunged and Zorro parried the thrust easily. Then the duel began in earnest. In minutes, De Soto confirmed his suspicions that something was definitely wrong with his talented adversary on this night. Zorro was truly not displaying his usual level of performance, and the Alcalde took advantage of it in every way. Every small success with his blade spurred him on to be even more adventurous.

Zorro was indeed having some trouble. The mask was bothering him more than it normally did, and he was finding it difficult to focus on the blade coming at him. Even his reflexes seemed mired in molasses as he forced his concentration to stay on the moment at hand. He parried every thrust. Yet even as he blocked move after move, he knew he needed to end this quickly. His vision was blurring, and he could swear that, at times, his opponent held two blades, not one. There was even a curious whirring sound in his ears that drowned out the clanging of steel and the clamor of the watching crowd.

Suddenly, he saw an opening and took it. With the finesse of practiced expertise, he side-stepped the Alcalde's coupe and as it went wild to his right, he reached in with his own blade and disarmed the man cleanly.

Then he broke with his usual custom. Rather than upbraiding the Alcalde in the street and imparting a stern warning to him, Zorro saluted him with his saber. And, without a word, he ran between two buildings and disappeared into the dark shadows of the night.

De Soto shouted orders to his men in quick succession. "After him! Lancers! To arms!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Victoria climbed the stairs with the tray carefully balanced on her hand. She knocked softly on the door to the room Diego had rented for the night, but there was no answer. She let herself in and placed the tray of food on the nightstand. Diego was probably still outside watching all the commotion. But he would soon be in and be ready for his meal.

She smiled to herself as she turned down the bed covers for him. He had been so charming lately. Not at all like the Diego she was used to seeing. Perhaps their lessons were changing him. Soon he would be ready to declare his love to this other woman in his life. The smile left her face. Somehow the idea bothered her, but she couldn't imagine why. It was probably just because she didn't know who the woman was. Once he told her, and she was sure the woman was right for Diego, everything would be just fine. A bumping noise from the next room caused her to spin around toward the door.

The noise had come from her own room!

She quickly closed the door to Diego's rented room and opened that of her own. When she caught sight of the black-clad form sprawled across her bed, she stepped inside swiftly and closed the door behind her.

"Zorro!" She was both excited and shocked to see him there, lying across her own bed.

He raised his head. "Vic…tor..ya!" His speech was slurred and thick. "Hi!" He smiled a lop-sided grin and his head flopped back down onto the bed.

She stepped forward and the smell of whiskey hit her like a fist. Her mouth dropped open. It was all she could do not to raise her voice. "Why, you're drunk!"

"D-Dwunk? No… I …not….so very…" His muttered words were barely audible, lost in the covers on the bed.

For a full minute, Victoria stood transfixed and unbelieving of the sight before her.

Then she crossed over to the bed to where her hero lay face down. She stooped down to pick up his hat and gloves off the floor and placed them on the nightstand. Then she slowly sat down on the edge of her bed beside him and wondered what in the world she was going to do with him. Noises from the street drifted in through the open window. The lancers were still looking for Zorro! She flew to the window, closed, latched it firmly and drew the curtains shut. With one last, long look at the sleeping man on the bed, she left the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Teresa was finishing up in the kitchen and she raised an eyebrow when she saw Victoria start preparing a pot of coffee at such a late hour. But she knew better than to ask why. There was a very determined look on her employer's face.

Half an hour later, Teresa had gone and Victoria was locking up the tavern for the night. She carried the tray containing the coffeepot and cups up the stairs and stopped at the door next to her own.

"Diego?" she said softly. But there was no answer. She knocked once more and when there was still no answer, she turned the knob. The bed had not been slept in and the tray of food lay untouched. "Men!" she huffed aloud. She really needed Diego's help tonight. Why had he not done as he'd said he was going to do and stay in town! She shut the door and returned to her own room. Zorro had not stirred.

"Zorro!" She kept her voice low and shook him vigorously by the shoulders and still he did not stir. Finally, she used all her might to roll him over onto his side. "Zorro, you must wake up!" She slapped at his cheeks to rouse him and his eyelids flickered open.

"Hi." He drew out the short word into a full three syllables. He only managed to keep one eye open as he looked at her and grinned. "What… you…doin'…my…room?" He shook a playful finger at her, or tried to, for she slapped his hand away with her own.

"This is _my _room and you have to get hold of yourself!" Reaching over, she poured a cup of the steaming, strong black coffee. When she tried to prop him up just enough so that he could drink, he pushed away the cup. "No, drink it!" He gave her a hurt look when she placed the cup firmly before his lip, but he began sipping the hot liquid cautiously, making faces between sips.

"Yechhk! Don't like … coffee." But he continued to drink when she flashed her sternest look at him. Inwardly, she was making mental notes rapidly. She only hoped she could sober him up so that he would be able to look after himself. An occasional shout still came from the streets. A good indication that Zorro was still being hunted, she thought grimly The Alcalde was not above forcing himself into her very bedroom to see if she were hiding him. She was surprised she hadn't heard a banging on her door already, with De Soto demanding to know if Zorro were inside.

She watched him as he drained the cup and then promptly poured him another. He groaned when he saw what she was doing. "No… no more!" he whimpered like a child.

"Yes! You will drink every drop!" She still spoke in a whisper but she did it with such force, he could hear the shouting in it. He took the cup like a little boy doing his mother's bidding. This man who had many times held off a full quartel of lancers could not meet her angry gaze. It was then that her heart began to soften toward him, and she let her hand slip down and pat his knee. As she once more reached for the empty cup to take it from him, she saw the blood on her own hand.

Her sharp intake of breath at the sight of the unexpected red caused a reaction in him as well. His body tensed and he didn't appear nearly as inebriated as he had only moments before.

"What is it?" His breathing had quickened and his hand on her shoulder was strong.

"You're bleeding!" She searched for the wound, her hands roving over every inch of black silk across his chest and abdomen. She was frantic now. He was hurt!

"Oh, that… it's my leg," he said nonchalantly, as if he were talking about the weather.

"Your leg! Let me see!" He obediently raised up the leg high up off the bed, disregarding all sense of modesty and decorum. The trouser leg was rent from just below the waistband to well below the knee, and the long red gash showed through plainly. "Oh, my God!" She rushed over to the pitcher and bowl of water and grabbed a cloth from underneath the stand. "This looks like a saber cut, a very long saber cut." She was stunned. She couldn't remember a time when anyone had ever so much as touched Zorro with a saber. It was hard to believe anyone could do _this_ to him! "Who did this?"

He lowered his head and looked up through long, thick lashes behind the black mask. "I did." He looked almost ashamed to make the admission. "I did it… when I tried to resh…reshea…" He stumbled over the word, decided it was too hard to say and substituted, "…put away my sword." He looked up at her and blinked several times. "I missed."

"Well, you certainly did." She fought hard to keep a straight face. But one look down at the now bloodied cloth in her hand and the impulse to laugh left. That wound had to be tended. She coaxed him to move around on the bed so that she could straighten the leg out in front of her to work. The material hung so loosely about the leg, she had to keep rearranging the cloth to keep him covered. She wasn't sure just how drunk he really was and he was watching her closely. Dipping the end of the cloth in the cool water, she washed away the blood gently. She watched his reaction out of the corner of her eye. He winced once or twice as she dabbed at the wound. She had just about gotten the bleeding stopped when she felt his right hand reach up to her neck. She had already instinctively leaned into his grasp when the hand firmly guided her head down towards his.

"Zorro!" But his lips met hers before she could protest further. His mouth groped hungrily for hers and the kisses deepened and grew rougher at the same time. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and taste it lingering in his mouth. But soon, for once, she became lost in _his _passion. She threw the damp cloth aside and her hands gripped his strong neck. Her fingers entwined in the bit of his hair available to her and they worried at the edges of the mask.

This was the passion from him she had wanted for so long. But was it fair? Would he even remember this later? It would be so easy for her to just pull the end of the scarf that made up the mask and… Then the thought slipped from her mind as his tongue edged its way even further into her mouth. His hands seemed to find every sensitive inch of her skin and caress it. They teased her sleeves down off of her arms and his mouth traveled slowly down from hers, along her throat and onto the bare, soft shoulders.

She was losing all sense of time and propriety. And she didn't care. This was what she wanted above all else. And, for the moment, so did he.

A loud rap sounded at the door downstairs. Her head jerked toward the sound, but Zorro never missed a beat in his caressing and touching. She pulled away from him, but his strength held her. "No!" she said firmly, and the sound of her voice drew his thoughts away from her inviting body. He looked up at her confused and still not quite himself. The coffee had not yet had time to cancel out the effects of the whiskey.

She pulled him to his feet and he groaned softly as he stood on the wounded leg. "Shh! You must be quiet!" She led him over to the massive old oak wardrobe and opened the doors. "Get inside! Hide behind the clothes and don't make a sound! Do you understand?" He nodded automatically and did as she said. Once he was inside the wardrobe, she began gathering the various parts of his costume that were scattered about the room. She opened the doors and threw the hat, gloves, and baldric in at him. Then she gathered all the bloodied cloths. tossed them in a drawer, and quickly rearranged the bed covers so all the stains were hidden. Casting a quick glance in the mirror just to make sure every article of clothing was in place and her looks presentable, she went down to answer the door.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" She opened the door to see the Alcalde surrounded by several lancers, swords drawn and pistols ready. "Alcalde! I see you still search for Zorro!"

She laughed. "Did he get away again!"

"Sergeant, search the tavern. Search every room!"

"Sí, mi Alcalde!" Mendoza shot a quick apologetic glance at Victoria and the men scattered throughout the tavern.

"Alcalde! I have customers tonight! You cannot search the rooms! You will be disturbing them and the hour grows late!"

De Soto looked slyly at the señorita who stood there indignantly, with cheeks high in color. "I think there is only one room we need search upstairs! Mendoza! Search Señorita Escalante's room, if you please. Every inch! If Zorro is here, that is where he will be found!

Victoria had to stand there and pray that they wouldn't find him. He was in no shape to resist arrest. _Please, God, protect him for me! _A full five minutes went by as the men searched her room. When Mendoza and the others came out with their hands held up in the air and proclaimed he wasn't there, she heaved a heavy sigh of relief. But at the back of her mind, the worry began. Where was he? Why didn't they find him? She watched the Alcalde strut around and snoop around in her kitchen for a few more minutes before he finally ordered all the men back outside.

"I know you've sheltered him in the past, Señorita. If I ever find out you've helped him again, I'll see you hang. Do you understand?" She felt the menace in his voice as he leaned over her with the threat.

"Oh, yes. I understand more than you think, Alcalde!" Flashing him a defiant look, she slammed the door in his face. She collapsed in relief against the heavy wood before she could gather the strength back into her legs to go upstairs again and see what she would find.

They had left the door open and she ran into the room and straight to the wardrobe to throw open the doors. But he wasn't there. She looked around the room helplessly. The window was still shut. She stood there bewildered for just a moment before she looked back towards the window and saw the latch hanging loose. Then she ran to the window and opened it. When she looked to the right, she saw him clinging to the ledge that ran along the upper floor of the building. He was now closer to the window of the room next door. She closed the window and flew to the room Diego was supposed to have stayed in for the night. When she opened the window there, she found him still holding on as if for dear life. His face was only about three feet away and he looked over at her as she reached for him to pull him into the room.

"I don't… feel… so good." The look on his face was poor misery. Sober, a climb up this wall was child's play to the man. But drunk, wounded and feeling sick, it probably looked like a mountain to him. It was clear that she had to get him in quickly.

"Here, take my hand! If the soldiers see you…" A black-gloved hand reached for her small one and she pulled with all her might. He fell into the room with a loud thud and she quickly prayed that no one had heard. Between the commotion of the Alcalde's men and tonight's antics of Zorro, her poor guests were probably having a sleepless night. She helped him towards the bed. It was so strange to see him this way. Drunken customers were something she had grown used to and knew how to handle. But this was one man she had never expected to see in this condition. She would have bet her life against the odds of this happening. "How do you feel?" He only groaned softly in reply as he leaned back against the pillows. "Stay here while I go get the coffee."

"No!… No more coffee. Just stay… with me." He sounded a bit more normal and he grabbed for her hand and held it tightly. "Stay." He watched her through heavy-lidded eyes that pleaded with her. "Stay." He said again.

"Very well, I'll stay." She smiled down at him as he closed his eyes. Then she sat on the side of the bed and placed a hand on his stomach and began to slowly rub back and forth. "Better now?" She asked, but there was no answer. He looked so vulnerable right now. More than ever, she wanted to see the face beneath that mask. The temptation was so great to remove it. But she resisted.

Her eyes moved about the room as she thought and they lit on the tray of cold food. "Diego!" involuntarily, she had said the name aloud in disgust. Zorro's eyes flew open and she felt his body tense beneath her hand. He had such a surprised look on his face, she felt she had to explain. "Diego was supposed to rent this room tonight. But he didn't stay. He is so undependable! I prepared that meal for him for nothing. And you and I could have used his help tonight. Sometimes, he makes me so—"

"So what?"

"—So mad! And don't think you're going to get off that easy either, Señor Zorro!" She smiled as she threatened him and began once more the light, rhythmic rubbing of his stomach. "I am not understanding you tonight any better than I do Diego. What on earth possessed you to allow yourself to get drunk? You! Of all people! I am so surprised, not to mention, disappointed."

"I did not mean—"

"You know, you could have gotten yourself killed tonight! When other men drink too much, they might risk getting hurt in a fist fight or a brawl. But you! You get drunk and then face a wall of lancers armed with pistols and the Alcalde with a sword! For an intelligent man, you were awfully stupid tonight!"

"Yes, well…"

"Many things can drive a man to drink, but you can't afford that luxury. What is troubling you that you would risk your life for a chance to escape it?"

"You don't think… I have… any problems?" he asked quietly, his speech still slurred.

"I wouldn't know, would I?" She looked down at her hands. "I really know nothing about you."

"You know more than you know about me." He smiled such a sweet mischievous smile at her that she laughed.

"Oh, that makes a lot of sense. I guess now is not the time to ask you any serious questions."

He gave her an even bigger grin. "I'd rather not talk." He placed his hand on hers and then looked at it in surprise. He still had on his gloves! Tugging at one and then the other he tried most unsuccessfully to shed himself of either. She watched him struggle, trying hard to control her laughter.

"Here, let me." She tugged at one herself and then saw the problem. When he had put them back on in her room, while she had been downstairs, he had put them on the wrong hands. They were far too tight this way. With some effort, she managed to remove the gloves. "Let's check our boots, shall we?" But they, thankfully, were on the correct feet. She gave each a tug and they slid off with ease. She placed them at the foot of the bed and when she turned back around, she was startled. The cloth on his left leg had fallen away to reveal a long, lean muscular leg and thigh. The gash showed dark red, but the bleeding had stopped. Her eyes traveled, against her will, on up the leg to the upper thigh and hip displayed to perfection for her eyes only. She swallowed hard. She knew she needed to just tuck him in and let him sleep off the effects of the liquor. "Isn't that better?" She said it cheerfully, readying herself for the next struggle of getting him under the covers without too much display of flesh. She wasn't sure she could take much more of this.

He nodded and patted the spot on the bed beside him. She shook her head, smiling, but she took her place there once more. "Much better." His voice was different. Not so deep, for one thing. And it struck a chord deep within her. It almost reminded her of…but the thought remained unfinished as he said, "Now, where were we…" He put his hand to her neck once again and it had the same effect on her as before. Soon they were wrapped in each other's embrace and drowning in each other's kisses.

When she felt him lose total control, she hesitated. He had always been the one to reign in their passions before. She had always been more willing than he. But this time was different. He wasn't himself, and she felt some guilt at letting him continue. She knew very well the power alcohol could have over a man and she didn't want him to do anything he'd be sorry for in the morning. She loved him and wanted him with all her heart. But was that enough? She also wanted him as a husband. So she pulled away and he was brought back into the present. He frowned and complained, "It's hot in here."

"It probably is hot with that mask on. You could take it off." She reached up and smoothed her hands over the mask and traced the contours of his face underneath.

"Nice try," he grinned and said, "but I'm not _that_ drunk!"

"Are you sure? I might be able to talk you into it." She slipped a finger underneath the edge on either side of his face and placed a long, leisurely playful kiss on his lips.

"You might at that." He sighed deeply and settled back into the pillow comfortably. He was asleep almost instantaneously. Then it was her turn to let out a long, slow sigh.

Knowing he'd sleep for hours, she settled down in the chair to see if she could get some sleep as well. She had no intention of going back to her own bed and leaving him alone. He had asked her to stay.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

A low groan came from the bed and awoke her with a start. It was still dark outside. She guessed it to be around midnight. The light from the single candle cast huge shadows on the wall as she moved over to the bed.

"Are you awake?" She spoke in a whisper so as not to wake him if he wasn't. The only answer she got was a somewhat louder groan. She suppressed a giggle.

Then the man stirred and struggled to sit up in the bed. "Oh…feel …so …sick…"

"I can imagine!" She had already moved the chamber pot to just beside the bed. She knew all too well just how sick he was feeling. Working in a tavern had made her an expert on the effects of too much drink. "You…should….GO!" he finished on a note of alarm.

"No! I'm staying. Get used to the idea."

"But—" He started to protest but his voice became more stressed. "No! The bed! Is it moving?" He had grabbed the edge of the bed as if to make it stop.

"No. The only thing moving is your stomach trying to get away from all that liquor you poured into it tonight."

"Oh…" And for the next several minutes, he was very sick indeed. Physically sick. He'd be embarrassed about this too tomorrow. That is, he would be if he even remembered it. As he lay back among the pillows, she wiped his face with the cool, damp cloth.

"This is ridiculous! You'd feel better if you took the mask off—it has to be hot!"

"No, it stays on. For now."

"Well, at least you are sounding a bit better. I just hope this teaches you a lesson. And you won't ever do this again?"

"No, I can guarantee…that I…"

"I just can't understand why you—" But he appeared to have fallen back to sleep.

She shook her head. Why had he been drinking? Men drank to ease pain, to forget their troubles. She sat back and wondered just what could have driven Zorro to drink in the first place. It was true—no one ever thought of him as having any problems. He had taken over the problems of everyone else. She didn't even know if he considered not being able to be with her a problem. He could so easily solve that one, but he didn't. So surely he didn't think it that much of one.

Then a stray thought leapt into her head. What if he… no…it couldn't be that. But someone had sent that note to Diego. Someone had seen them kissing in the padre's garden. What if Zorro had heard and… A smile overtook her lips at the prospect. Jealousy. Some men were known to drown their sorrows in drink when jealous of a woman's affections. She'd seen it often. But could Zorro really be jealous of Diego? The thought was absolutely delicious. She did feel sorry for him. He looked so pitiful lying there so sick and miserable. But if he had done this because he was jealous…She settled back down in the chair again, but this time she was smiling to herself.

No more than an hour had passed before she heard the soldiers at the door downstairs once more. She was wide awake in seconds and trying to shake Zorro awake. "It's the soldiers again. You have to hide! Do you understand?" But it seemed useless. The eyes that looked up at her were clouded and dull.

"Yes… I …I'll…hide. Don't worry." She didn't know if he could chance another climb out the window in such shape. "Go. I'll think…of something… Go!" She looked doubtfully at him. He had sat up in the bed and was holding his head. The banging grew louder. She would just have to keep the lancers from searching the rooms. She flew down the stairs, ready to do her best to protect him.

"Señorita! Still dressed, I see! Could it be you have a special guest tonight?" The Alcalde swaggered past her into the room.

"Alcalde! I thought I might need to stay dressed tonight with your men crawling all over the pueblo. I don't think anyone's going to get much sleep tonight with all the racket they're making!" She allowed the sarcasm to drip from her voice. "We should all feel so protected tonight."

"Yes, you will be! Once I get my hands on Zorro. I know he's been here. How else could he have gotten away from us tonight?"

"But your men have checked. He isn't here, Alcalde. Or don't you trust your own men?"

"We only checked your room before." He barked his orders to his men. "Men! This time, search every room! I want him found!" He turned to the señorita and smiled. "I'll check the kitchen myself. Now, if you'll lead the way?" He gestured toward the curtained entrance.

"Very well." she said through clenched teeth. She walked slowly toward the kitchen as her eyes traveled up the stairway to the lancers that were opening every door. The protests of her customers as the lancers stormed into the rooms above reached her ears as she prayed silently that somehow Zorro could escape capture.

The Alcalde looked in every dark corner, opened the back door and even checked the small storage room she always kept locked. "Now, do you believe me?"

"No! I know you've hidden him in the past." He continued to look about the kitchen as if he expected the tall man to be magically hidden in the tiniest of hiding places.

"Alcalde!" Mendoza stuck his head through the curtains. "He's not upstairs. We checked every room." He stared straight at the Alcalde and missed the immediate look of relief that spread across Victoria's face.

"Are you sure?" De Soto made the short question important with his low tone.

"Sí, mi Alcalde! There are four guests in the rooms, but no Zorro. We checked very, very carefully, sir."

"Very well, then, Sergeant. Get back out there and keep looking!" He turned back to the young woman and stepped in close to her, using his height to intimidate her. "We may be back. You see, I know something was wrong with him tonight. It was obvious to me that he was injured or possibly ill. He will be easy for us to capture if we find him. And, señorita, we will find him!"

"Then you'd better hurry. Since you now know he's not here." A few minutes later, she was rushing back up the stairs. When she entered the room, she was surprised to find him sitting on the bed, shirtless. He was awake and miserable. All the noise the men had made must have been torture for him.

"Here, let me help you get comfortable." Her heart was aching for him. It wasn't until she had gotten him settled back under the covers and sleep had reclaimed him once more, that she even gave a thought as to what had happened in the room. She looked about her and wondered where he'd hidden. His shirt and the other articles of black clothing were nowhere in sight.

Then it hit her. Mendoza had said "four guests". But she had only three. The lancers that had checked this room must have seen him. That meant he must have removed the mask and they'd actually seen his face! He merely pretended to be a guest, asleep. Her anger flared slightly when she realized he'd replaced the mask just for her. To protect her! She sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at him. The temptation was great to just take a peek under the mask. He'd never even know! It would be so easy. Her hand was actually reaching for the black silk when he stirred.

"Are they gone?" His groggy voice made her start. The blue eyes behind the mask opened and held hers. Then they locked on her hand.

"Yes." She moved her hand slowly back to her side and his eyes followed it. "I'm sorry. I guess I was about to give in to temptation."

"Victoria, you do know the reason for this mask."

"Oh, I know. It's protecting me! You've told me that often enough. I'm beginning to despise the word! But I just want to know so much…" Her voice trailed away and a single tear escaped the corner of her eye.

"But, are you sure?" His voice was tender, not accusing. If there was anything he could not bear, it was to see her cry. "If you removed the mask right now, could you accept me as I am? No matter whose face you find behind it?" He sat up and drew her into his arms. His lips burned for hers and found them. The kiss was long and took her breath away and then he drew back and asked, "Have you thought over the consequences?"

"Consequences?" She was still lost in the kiss, focusing on dreams she'd had for so long now. "What consequences are—"

Suddenly she pushed him away and he saw flames of anger leap into her eyes. "Oh, you mean that I just might hang for knowing your secret! Well, I've got news for you! I could hang just for helping you tonight without even knowing who you are! Your argument doesn't hold any water, Señor de—"

The name that had almost tumbled out of her mouth shocked her. She stared at the man in front of her and her mind was in chaos! She had almost called him—! Oh, but that was impossible. She looked deep into his eyes for a full, long minute. Then she shook her head in an effort to clear her thoughts. You'd think she was the one who'd been drinking! No, it just couldn't be!

Ire had made her voice grow louder and the change in her behavior from tenderness to anger had him confused. His mind was now clouded by hangover, if not by drink. A moment ago, she'd been kissing him passionately. Now she was furious with him. He collapsed back among the pillows with a pitiful moan, holding his head once more.

The effect upon her was immediate. Her whole manner softened and she spent the next half hour whispering soothing endearments to him, wiping his face (being careful of the mask) with a cool cloth and softly rubbing his chest. He drifted off into a deep sleep, enjoying the attention.

But rest didn't come easily for Victoria. There was just too much to think about, to _worry_ about. So she sat back in the chair and her mind just would not rest. The soldiers might return at any moment. It would be a miracle if he could escape being found here a third time. She still needed to think through how he'd gotten past the lancers the last time. Could they really have stared him in the face and not have known him?

And there was still the question that really worried her. Just why had he gotten drunk in the first place? She wanted to believe that it had something to do with the frustration about their not being able to be together. But she knew that was just a romantic notion. After all, it was totally within his control to do something about it. Secretly, she would love the reason to be something like that. Or perhaps, jealousy. That would be so…well…so romantic. But why should Zorro be jealous of anyone? He knew she loved him.

Then her eyes moved over to the tray of cold food. She could just see it in the edges of the light from the single candle. The food she had made for Diego. The memory of kissing Diego in the Padre's garden waltzed through her mind. Oh, it couldn't be! But Diego said that he thought someone had seen them that day. Could it have been…?" She looked over at the sleeping man. No, that was impossible. But someone had seen. And if word had gotten back to Zorro…. She bit her lip and her face lit up at the very idea of Zorro being driven to drink at the idea of her kissing Diego. A giggle escaped her lips and she heard him give a little moan from the bed.

"Victoria?" He was rubbing his eyes and he had raised up to look about him.

"I'm here. How do you feel?" She sat down on the side of the bed once more.

"Not that well." But his voice had that 'in command' quality to it once again. She could see the furrowed lines on his brow even in the dim candlelight, and she guessed that his headache was still in force.

"Now, do you want some coffee? It might help."

He gave an embarrassed laugh. "I probably owe you a ton of apologies. I'm sorry. I don't know—'

"Apologies accepted. But I will still have quite a bit to say to you about this episode…when you can bear it a bit better than now."

"I'm sure you will. And I shall try to take it like a man." He reached for her hand and placed a tender kiss on it. Thank you. For everything." He looked over toward the window and saw the closed shutters. "What time is it getting to be, I wonder."

"About five, I should think. Hopefully, the lancers have given up on you by now. I suppose you'll be going." He could hear the disappointment in her voice.

"I really should. I've imposed on you quite enough."

Yes, he needed to go, but he didn't want to leave just yet. The events of the night were already growing hazy in his mind. But there was one memory he wanted to reinforce before it was lost to him and that was the feel of her in his arms. He reached for her once more and hugged her tightly. The scent of her hair and the feel of her body pressed against him he firmly imprinted on his memory. This moment, here and now, he wanted to retain and remember.

For several moments longer, he held her, rejoicing in her closeness, and then he knew it was time. He pushed her firmly away and threw back the covers to get up from the bed.

The sight of his bare chest caused a shiver to race up her spine. "No, you aren't steady enough just yet and you know it. Why don't you just lie back and sleep this off. The soldiers probably won't come back. This will be the one place you're safe."

He couldn't argue with her logic. And the bed did feel so inviting. So he let her talk him into relaxing back into the soft mattress.

Once she was sure he was asleep, she made her way to her own room to freshen up and prepare for the coming morning.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

It wasn't long before she heard the tell-tale noises of the tavern coming slowly to life. Tina had come in downstairs and was bustling about in the kitchen. She wasn't making much noise, but to one who had trained her body to listen for such things, it was evident.

She checked on her special guest in the bed. He now lay face down sleeping heavily. He'd be fine while she went down to help open up the tavern for the breakfast customers.

The early morning hours always went quickly for there was so much to do. It was almost 9:00 AM before she had a chance to look back in on Zorro. She found him still in the position in which she'd left him. He had not moved. She made a mental note to put a second pot of coffee on, because someone was going to need it. Then she pulled the door closed. The tables outside were her next duty, so she headed back down the stairs to tackle the job of getting them ready for the day.

It was a beautiful, clear morning with not a cloud in the sky, and it was wonderfully cool. She cleared and cleaned off the tables, humming as she worked. It was surprising how good she felt, considering how little sleep she had managed.

When she heard the sound of a horse approaching, she looked down the street to see Don Alejandro riding towards her. Then her eyes drifted to the left and focused for the first time on the horse she had seen when she had first opened the door that morning. For the first time, she realized it was Diego's horse, Esperanza, that stood hitched at the post.

She stood there confused.

Don Alejandro alighted from Dulcenea and tied her right next to Esperanza. Walking up to Victoria, he gave her a most cheerful smile and said. "Hola, Victoria! I hope my son wasn't too much trouble last night for you. He told me he might stay over if his meeting went on too long. I'm so glad warned me, or I might have worried when he didn't come home. Are you all right, Victoria? You look a little pale."

"Oh, I'm fine, Don Alejandro, just fine. And how are you today?" But her cheerfulness had vanished, replaced by the chaos of her thoughts.

"Just wonderful, wonderful! I don't suppose my son is up yet, is he?"

"No…" she faltered, "no, I haven't seen him this morning."

"Well, I'm off to the blacksmith's. I'll be back shortly. Maybe he'll make it down for lunch!" He gave a hearty laugh. "Hasta Luego, my dear."

"Hasta Luego."

She smiled and turned her attention back to Esperanza. So Diego had not gone home! And it was Zorro that had used the room he had rented last night. She could only think of two answers to the riddle before her and they were both equally incredible. Either Diego had spent the night with his mystery woman or Diego was Zorro. The water pitcher tumbled out of her hands and broke into pieces on the wooden planks beneath her feet. She stood and stared at the broken pottery around her feet while her mind reeled. No, there were other possibilities too. There had to be. Diego could be hurt! He could be lying out there somewhere, bleeding! Or he could have been arrested and be sitting this moment in jail!

Sergeant Mendoza broke through her self-imposed trance before she could come up with any other possibilities. "Señorita! Are you all right?" He stooped to pick up the shards of pottery. "You look as if you've seen a ghost." He gave a quick look around, just in case it might be true. "What is it? What is wrong?"

"Oh, nothing…I just…" But everything was wrong!

"Señorita?" Mendoza could not understand the facial expressions on the young tavern owner's face. He looked about again, but no one was there. Just the de la Vegas' horses. Why was she so upset?

But her thoughts sped on in the señorita's mind. If the man upstairs was not Diego, then just where _had _he spent the night? Her heart sank at the thought and she didn't know which idea was more fantastic - or which one was worse.

She needed to get back up to that room. If she could only look upon his face one more time, she'd be sure. How silly she was being! Diego just couldn't be Zorro. And _Diego wouldn't have— _And just why did the latter upset her more than the former!

The sergeant helped her gather up the broken pieces and carry them inside for disposal. She looked towards the stairs almost instinctively and saw Lord Hodge coming down to breakfast.

"Señorita, good morning! Lovely day, this morning, isn't it? I do like your weather here. Although, I could do with some quieter nights, if you know what I mean?" He chuckled at his own weak jest. "Would a cup of tea be too much trouble for you this morning?" He bowed slightly.

"Of course, not, Lord Hodge. If you will have a seat, I'll bring you some shortly. And I am sorry about all the uproar last night."

"I understand Zorro was the culprit. No need for you to apologize, Señorita. I gather he got away again?"

"Yes, I think so. They didn't find him here. I'll go get your tea."

She slipped through the curtain, grateful for the distraction. She put a kettle of water on to boil and retrieved the tea tin from the shelf. Every motion she made revealed the anger that was bubbling up inside of her. How could he? Her mind had settled the matter. Diego was actually—. Oh, she couldn't even _think _the word, much less say it. Oh, that _experience_ of his! Was this kind of behavior something else he'd picked up in Paris! Well, the next time she laid eyes on him, she'd—

"Senorita? Lord Hodge has requested one of those breakfast buns you made for him yesterday. Are there any left?"

"Yes, Tina, over there on the counter. No, behind the uh…yes, there."

"I'll take them to him." Then she caught sight oh her employer's face. "Are you all right, Señorita? You look a little flushed this morning. And tired."

"I'm fine! Just fine!" she answered, keeping her voice calm and steady. Why was everyone so interested in how she was feeling this morning! "Now go take him those buns. The tea will be ready in another minute or so."

She had to get control of herself. What good would getting any more upset with Diego do? What's done was done. Then the picture of Don Alejandro floated past her eyes. This was going to kill Don Alejandro! How dare Diego do such a wicked thing to his father!

The kettle began to whistle and she busied herself with making the tea, and trying to forget the turmoil that raged in her thoughts.

Lord Hodge was so pleasant in the morning. She had guessed that it was his favorite part of the day for he seemed to revel in it. He was much more talkative in the mornings too. Even for him. Her hands shook as she was pouring the tea for him.

"Ah, Señorita! Lovely, just lovely. I suppose it's too early for Señor de la Vega to make an appearance.

"Oh, he's in town already. I saw him arrive, but he went over to the blacksmith's." She was impatient to get back upstairs, but he continued talking to her.

"Oh, you are referring to Don Alejandro. I saw him arrive too, from my window. No, I meant Don Diego. I saw his horse still outside early this morning." He sipped the tea and smiled. "I must say I expected as much."

"You did?" She was not sure how to take the remark.

"Well, yes. I was a bit naughty last night. I encouraged the boy to drink with me." Now he had her attention! He leaned over to her as if to impart a secret. "Between you and me, I don't think the lad's much of a drinker. I could tell it was having quite an effect on him, so I hoped he'd choose to stay in town for the night rather than ride all the way back to their hacienda. It's about two miles, isn't it? Why, I doubt he could have stayed in the saddle!" Her mouth dropped open as Lord Hodge gave her a knowing wink.

"Will you excuse me, Lord Hodge?"

"Certainly, my dear girl! Uh… coffee does work miracles!" he called after her, but she was already flying up the stairs. He made a clucking sound and mumbled under his breath. "That boy's going to have as bad a time today as he had last night. Pity!"

She leaned against the closed door staring at him for several minutes.

"Victoria?" The voice from the bed was the commanding one that could belong only to Zorro. When she didn't answer, he raised up on one elbow and repeated her name louder this time. Almost immediately, he grabbed his forehead with both hands. "Ohhh…"

"Would you like some coffee? It might help." She was eyeing him curiously, still standing at the door.

"Oh, please… not so loud!" He swung his legs gingerly over the side of the bed and she gaped loudly when she saw the pants leg fall away to reveal the deep gash and quite a bit of flesh.

"What?" He peeked at her between his fingers, his head still cradled in his hands.

"I had forgotten that wound." She pointed to his leg. "And I don't think you can walk out of here in those." Crossing over to him to kneel by the bed she began to examine the wound once more. It looked much better than the night before, except for the deeper part of the cut on his hip. That part had become red and inflamed. "I will be back. I need to put something on that."

She returned soon with a small jar of ointment and some strips of clean cloth for bandages. Kneeling beside the bed, she applied the ointment carefully. Their eyes met as they both realized that the bandage could not be fixed in place unless he lowered his pants.

"I think I can manage that while you go get the coffee."

He smiled, and she was once again sure she was looking only upon the face of Zorro. _He just couldn't be—_

"What's wrong?" he asked, seeing the change in her expression. She didn't answer him. "I am sorry. I was quite a handful last night. I am so sorry." He took her hand and kissed it tenderly.

"Oh, that…that is not what is bothering … it's Diego," she said

"Diego?"

"Yes…he…" She looked up at him innocently through thick lashes. "He stayed in town last night, but he didn't stay here. I'm just very disappointed in him."

He swallowed hard. "Well, I am sure he—"

"His horse was here all night and Don Alejandro said he didn't come home last night." She lowered her head. "There's only one possible explanation."

_Oh, why did his head have to ache like this!_ He couldn't think straight! "And that is?"

"He spent the night with _her_."

"Her?" Zorro felt something akin to doom hanging over his head.

"Yes. Diego has a secret love. Obviously, he is just not the man I've always thought him to be. It is so disappointing. I was even beginning to think…" She sighed.

"Think what?" The throbbing inside his head increased.

"Well, I had been thinking lately, that he and I …After all, you once even told me to marry someone like Diego! It hurt so much at the time, but lately… Well, it started to make much more sense. He's been so different. So interesting. And you and I…well…you have made your choice, haven't you? You continue to fight. And that doesn't leave much room for us. Your 'calling' won't let us be together."

He felt like explosions were going off behind his eyes. If he moved his head the tiniest little bit, the pain was blinding. This had to be happening now, of all times, when he desperately needed his wits about him.

Having finished replacing the bandage, she had gotten up off her knees. "I'll go get the coffee. You finish tying off the bandage to that wound. And take off those pants. I'll have to mend them. You can't be seen anywhere like they are. I'll be back." She quietly opened the door and went through, but on an afterthought, she slammed it closed. She heard a loud groan a second later and her smile widened.

She was still working through all her newfound knowledge when Sergeant Mendoza came in the door. She indicated to Tina that she would see to him herself.

"Sergeant! And what would you like this fine morning? I can whip you up some huevos rancheros in no time at all. How would you like that?" She smiled her sweetest smile.

"Oooh, that sounds wonderful! Yes, yes. I have worked up quite an appetite tonight. We were chasing Zorro all night long." Then he looked up at her apologetically. "Oh, you know that, don't you? I'm so sorry we had to search your rooms. But the Alcalde—"

"Oh, I quite understand. Although my customers may not be quite so understanding."

"But we were quiet. I don't think any of them woke up. Lord Hodge, maybe. He did talk to us. But the others, we just looked at their faces and they kept right on sleeping." She opened her mouth to ask her question, but the Sergeant kept talking. "And that reminds me, Señorita, I've been meaning to have a word with you." He leaned over and motioned to her to come close, so he could whisper in her ear. "I think you should be a little more careful. You know, if Zorro had been here last night, you would have had a real mess on your hands."

"And why is that, Sergeant?" _If he only knew!_ But she wasn't sure what he was trying to say.

"Well, I have tried to warn Don Diego. But I don't think he ever got the message." Mendoza continued his whispering with an urgency that was intriguing. "Don't you think that Zorro might be a little upset to find that you and Don Diego…" He stretched out the name like he was sure she would know what he meant.

"Sergeant! What _do_ you mean?" She was beginning to be exasperated with the man.

"I _saw_ you!" Her blank face made him have to say what he didn't want to admit. "I saw you and Don Diego in the padre's garden. If Zorro knew…"

"So it was you!" She laughed aloud. "Sergeant, I don't think you understand—" 

"Oh, I saw enough to understand. I just don't think _Zorro_ would understand why Don Diego would need to stay in town last night. I know he probably needed to—Lord Hodge certainly had him drinking, didn't he?" Mendoza chuckled. "I have never seen Don Diego drink so much as a tiny thimbleful of wine! And Scotch is—" But the rest of his words were lost for the Señorita had retreated back into the kitchen.

She began preparing the coffee and had to restrain herself from doctoring the stuff to make it even more vile than she intended to make it. "He doesn't like it anyway", she thought to herself as she made sure it was entirely too strong for palatability.

When she opened his door, he was face down in the pillows again. He didn't even open his eyes to acknowledge her presence. But when she set the coffeepot down on the nightstand, his whole body gave a small jump and she heard a muffled groan.

"You're really suffering, poor thing." She poured the cup and thought to herself, "_Serves you right_!" But aloud, her words were only comforting. "Here, this should help."

He propped himself up on his elbows and took the cup from her. When he sipped, she could see that he fought to keep his face from showing how truly bad it tasted. It wouldn't do for him to criticize her cooking after last night. He swallowed and she could tell the smile that followed was forced. "It is …strong. Just what I need, I suppose."

"Well, maybe not. You could just go back to sleep until the effects of last night wear off. You'd be safe enough. From the talk downstairs this morning, Diego is now the one every one is looking for."

"Diego?"

Why had she never noticed that he always tensed at the name? It was so obvious now. "Yes, Lord Hodge was even wanting him. And it won't be long until Don Alejandro comes back and I'll have to tell him Diego didn't stay here last night. Oh, this is going to kill poor Don Alejandro. How could Diego do this to him?"

"But you don't know that—"

But she barreled on despite his interruption. "I've been thinking all night as to just who this …hussy could be. I think that it just has to be Señora Gomez."

"Señora Gomez!" The name caused him to spill the hot coffee on his bare chest, and he let out a stifled yell. Señora Gomez was the one woman in town with quite a dubious reputation. There had been talk for years that she had once operated a bordello near Monterey, and there was even some speculation that she had poisoned her husband. He didn't know which burned hotter, the spilled coffee or Victoria's eyes as she watched his reaction.

"Surely, you don't think that Diego—" He set the cup down and made a move as if to rise from the bed. Then he suddenly realized he was quite naked and retreated back further under the covers. "Victoria, I think you should give Diego the benefit of the doubt on this—"

"Well, it would explain his behavior!" She was having a hard time suppressing laughter. "Or perhaps you'd like to try this one." She crossed purposefully to the bed and stood inches from him with her hands on her hips. "Just how in the world do you explain the fact that Diego was seen drinking last night by practically everyone in the pueblo. But only I know that it was _Zorro _who ended up drunk!"

Then she ripped the mask from his face!

There was a long silence.

She turned on her heel and left him. There was nothing he could do. She still had his pants.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she looked up to see Don Alejandro coming through the door of the tavern. One thought after another tumbled through her mind. _Did Diego's father know? He'd have to! No, Zorro would protect him as he had always said he protected her. His father couldn't know! What should she do?_ But Don Alejandro was already walking toward her.

"Victoria! I got finished with the blacksmith in no time at all. I'll go up and wake Diego now. Which room is he in?"

"Uh…he's in…" She pointed rather weakly toward the door and then added, "Perhaps you'd better knock first, he may still be sleeping."

"Well, it's time he was up. I do believe he'd sleep all day long on some days. You'd think he'd been up all night. But I'll do as you say." He started up the stairs and turned to ask, "Is there a chance you might have that chicken dish for lunch that you served last week again today? I've been craving it ever since, it was so delicious."

"Yes, of course. I'll make sure I have all the ingredients. Don Alejandro?"

"Yes?"

"Oh nothing. I just wanted to wish you a good morning again." Why was she feeling guilty? She wasn't the one who had deceived Don Alejandro!

"And good morning to you too, Victoria." He gave her a big smile, and she slinked into the kitchen as he vanished up the stairs.

He knocked on the door. "Diego?"

The man inside took a deep breath. How was he going to explain? "Yes, Father, come in."

Don Alejandro waited until he closed the door behind him to begin. Even if he had not been told already about his son's drinking escapade the night before, it wouldn't have been too hard to deduce. "Son, this is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into!" It was all he could do to keep his voice stern and not laugh. Diego was so obviously suffering from the lingering effects of a monstrous hangover. It was evident in his tortured eyes and his furrowed brow. "So what have you to say for yourself?"

"I'm… I am sorry. I misjudged—"

"Indeed you did! I would have thought you'd have gotten this sort of thing out of your system in Madrid!

"I never got drunk in Madrid!" Diego was indignant at the thought.

"So you decided to made up for it here? I just hope Lord Hodge understands—"

"He tricked me!"

Don Alejandro shook his head and smiled. "Yes, he most certainly did. A little more experience and you'd have known you were being goaded into drinking."

"He drank four, no five times as much as I did, and he—"

"But he has developed a great tolerance. You, my son, have none."

"Don't I know it now!"

"Well, Son, lesson learned. Never again?" his father asked brightly.

"Absolutely never again." He emphasized every word. "I hope I never see another drop of liquor!" He moaned and grabbed his head at the sound of his own raised voice.

"Good! Now I do have one small question." He paused and looked pointedly about the room. "What's happened to your clothes? Hmmm?"

Diego opened his mouth to reply, twice, but couldn't think of an acceptable answer to that one. He finally shrugged. "It is a long story."

"Please tell me they're not scattered all over the pueblo!" Don Alejandro affected a pained expression.

"Father! Of course not! I…you see… Victoria took my pants to mend them—they got torn. And my shirt…" he hesitated. His shirt was under the bed actually, but he couldn't very well show the black silk garment to his father.

"Son, you didn't, by chance…shall we say, compromise Victoria in any way?"

"Heavens no! Father,—" but even as he spoke vehemently, he thought _at least I hope not!_ He really couldn't remember much of the night before, now that he tried.

"All right, all right, I'll spare you the extra headache of trying to remember it all. I'll have Felipe bring you another change of clothes. Maybe he can sneak them up here without anyone noticing."

"Thank you." Diego heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

"Now, about Victoria…"

"Yes, Father?" He braced himself for an onslaught of criticism.

"Just a word of advice…..Apologize. Apologize profusely! It's the only way."

"I am not sure that will be enough this time. She is _very_ angry."

"I know. For that matter, the entire pueblo knows!" Alejandro smiled and Diego groaned again. "You couldn't have picked a more public place to have witnesses for your disgrace." He saw his son's whole body slump further down into the bed. "But, don't worry, Son. The talk will die down soon enough. A 'nine-day's wonder' they call such things. As long as Victoria forgives you, that is. They will be watching for that." He turned to go. "Oh, and Diego, the deadline for the Alcalde's census - it's tomorrow. He's reminded me twice already that you are one of the few caballeros left who has not completed the papers. I'm not sure what he's up to, but you might do well to comply this time."

"Yes, yes, I shall try." He had forgotten all about the problem that had led to his present situation. What was he going to do about that?

Victoria was going in and out of the kitchen and keeping an eye on the stairs, waiting for Don Alejandro to reappear. She didn't want him getting away before having a word with him. But she need not have worried, for Don Alejandro made straight for her after leaving his son's room.

"Victoria?" He gestured toward the kitchen and she followed. "Victoria, thank you for looking after him. I am in your debt."

"Oh, it was nothing. Are you very angry with him?" She didn't want this to cause friction between them.

"Are you?"

"Well, I was…but…"

"You know, he's going to be even harder on himself. Harder than you or I can ever be. And that hangover…well, that's punishment enough in itself. My father used to say every man should experience that just once in order to learn the lesson of moderation in all things. You know, I'd venture to guess that Diego hasn't eaten since yesterday at lunch. Could you prepare him something light? It might do him good. There's something on the bedside table, but I don't think he touched it, and it's cold now, at any rate."

"Oh, no! I hadn't even thought about that. He's got to be starved!" She began hurrying about the kitchen. "Yes, I'll see to it. Some albóndiga soup! He likes that."

Don Alejandro was glad to see her reaction. He hadn't thought she could remain angry with him for long, regardless of the impression he'd given Diego.

"I'll have Felipe bring him a change of clothes. He said his were … torn?" He watched her face carefully and saw the outright embarrassment his question caused. _What exactly had happened to Diego's clothes?_

"Good, Don Alejandro. I was not sure I could even repair them." She smiled nervously.

"Hmmm." Perhaps he would never find out about this. After that answer, he wasn't sure he wanted to anyway!

As she mounted the stairs, she could feel a dozen pairs of eyes boring into her back. There was nothing to do but ignore them. She knocked twice and announced herself before going on in, more for the benefit of the people watching than for Diego's. She doubted he had moved from the bed. He didn't seem the type to traipse around the room naked.

"I brought you some soup. Your father thought you might be hungry." They were both avoiding eye contact with one another and there was a long, awkward silence.

She placed the tray on the bed, and he murmured a very quiet "Thank you". Another long, awkward silence followed.

It was Diego who broke through it first. "We have to talk about all this." He glanced cautiously up at her face. "Perhaps later…" he began, and gave her a half-hearted smile, "I think I would feel more comfortable having such a conversation dressed."

She answered with a giggle and as he watched her turn and leave, he found a smile. So, all wasn't lost, after all.

It was close to two in the afternoon before he heard a tap at the window. Felipe pushed the bundle of clothing through to him from atop a ladder. Then he came around and through the front door of the tavern and on up to Diego's room. It was better this way. It was more embarrassing for Diego this way, having people think him indisposed for this long, but less so for Victoria, since she had actually been in the room with him alone.

Felipe was grinning from ear to ear. He wanted to know everything that had happened and he could barely wait as Diego got dressed. The more Diego explained, the more Felipe dissolved into silent laughter. Having witnessed Zorro's ignominious performance in the street the night before, he had assumed Diego had found refuge at the tavern somehow. But he would never have guessed that Diego had been drinking! The thought was just unbelievable!

Before going downstairs, Diego decided that humor was the only way to handle the situation. So, as he descended the steps, aware of all eyes upon him, he made a comical, elaborate bow and saluted the whole dining room crowd. He was awarded with a fair amount of applause and some hearty laughs before several of the men came forward and gave him some friendly pats on the back.

Within minutes, Victoria's customers had returned to their tables, their meals and their own conversations. Diego thought, for just a moment, that he might slip into the kitchen and see Victoria. But he decided he'd save that scene for later. Besides, right now he needed to see Lord Hodge and finish their conversation. With a few inquiries at the tables, he found out the man's whereabouts and proceeded over to the church.

"Diego! Feeling better?" The Padre was in deep conversation with the English peer, but greeted Diego with a beaming smile.

"Does anyone _not_ know what I did last night?" Diego chuckled.

"Afraid not, Lad! That kind of news spreads like wildfire in a town like this." Lord Hodge gave the young caballero a patronizing slap on the back.

"Diego, you must be satisfied in knowing that people think this little…er...episode was enough out of line with your character to regard it as impressive enough to spread," consoled the Padre.

Lord Hodge gave a sheepish smile. "But considering my part in this 'episode', that line of thinking doesn't speak too well of me, Sir!"

"You are not one of my flock, Lord Hodge. If you were, you would have, hopefully, seen the error of your ways before getting to this point in your reputation." The reprimand was delivered good-naturedly, but both men knew the Padre was totally serious too. None of the church-going men in the pueblo could come close to Lord Hodge's familiarity with the bottle.

"Did you wish to see me, Diego?" The Padre had turned his attention to Diego and wanted to make himself available if he were needed.

"Actually no, or rather, not just yet." He did want the Padre to know he'd be by later for a very interesting confession. "I came to find Lord Hodge. We never really finished our conversation."

"Then, my boy, let's hie into the garden, a perfect setting for a little conversation. No drink to be found, alas, but I don't think I'd talk you into that again, heh?"

"No, you would not!" Diego inclined his head and then took his leave of the Padre.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Once the two men were out of hearing of Padre Benitez, Lord Hodge immediately began speaking in a conspiratorial tone. "Diego, I have, I am sure, some very troubling news. If you hadn't sought me out, I would have found you. The Alcalde has called in a second handwriting expert from Mexico City. He wants an iron-clad case against Zorro. I have heard of this gentleman before, though I have never met him. There are only a handful of researchers looking into this new scientific art. And he will have one less problem than I have had; Spanish is his native language. Nuances in sentence structure and so forth that might escape me will definitely be additional clues for him."

"Why do you rate this as troubling? Shouldn't this man's findings agree with yours and help your case?"

"Probably. No, almost certainly. But I am no longer sure I want to be a tool in the capture of Zorro. When I first came to this pueblo, I was excited about bringing a notorious criminal to justice. Such a quest as this has become the driving work of my life. My passion and study of penmanship and criminology had combined into a useful tool for law enforcement. This art is in its infancy and I truly believe in its value." He looked at Don Diego earnestly. "But the more people I talk to, the more I am convinced that this Zorro is far less dangerous a man than the Alcalde! I just wish I had known that before I had begun giving him my help. Why, do you know that there are even some royal lancers that don't want Zorro captured! That is astonishing! I had wondered why Zorro was never really challenged by an entire quartel of military men. Now, I do not doubt his excellent abilities, but I have come to suspect that some of the lancers' ineptness in capturing him may arise from their inadequate desire to do so! They all have family or friends that Zorro has helped in some way. Why some of them even owe their own lives to some intervention on his part. In fact, I have found that his exploits have saved a good many lives and helped right an enormous amount of wrongs."

"So, you no longer want to aid in capturing Zorro?"

"In a word? No."

"Do you know who he is?" Diego said it casually, but he braced for the answer.

"Oh, I've known since the day I arrived." He held Diego's gaze for a meaningful few seconds. "You see, there were many papers filed together with the ones the Alcalde gave me to examine concerning Zorro. Various receipts for taxes and fees, miscellaneous application forms for all sorts of legal transactions. Would you believe there was even a poem of yours," Lord Hodge paused as if to emphasize his next words, "_in your handwriting_, among the papers? They were all jumbled together." He shook his head and laughed. "Your Alcalde appears to be a very neat and tidy man on the surface, but he's one of those whose closets are in disarray. Much as are his thoughts, I would imagine! And I, eager to begin my work, looked at some of those other papers and began comparing the samples to Zorro's notes. It was hardly even a challenge." Again his voice seemed to add meaning to his words as he said, "_And it will not be one for the next 'expert'!"_

"So there lies a quandary." Diego put a finger to his chin and rubbed.

"Yes! But I had an idea." Grinning, he looked about them to assure himself they were not being watched, and then he pulled out a sheaf of papers from inside his jacket. "While you were having your beauty sleep this morning, I took it upon myself to practice my own penmanship. At first, I merely copied the census form, thinking I might give it to you…er…to give to Zorro." He grinned again. "If it were turned in as his other self, no connection could be made. But that would not help things in the future. So I took another course. This morning I asked to see Zorro's notes once more." He handed Diego the papers he held.

Diego thumbed through the sheets of paper. They were various sizes and many different kinds of paper. And every single one of them bore his own familiar signature of "Zorro". Diego looked up in surprise. "You stole them?"

"No, I will leave any thievery to Zorro. Look more closely. There are now some key differences. The writing is similar, but no more so than you would see from two people who had used the same textbooks to learn their letters as children." Diego scanned the papers and yes, there were indeed differences. The breaks between letters in some words were not where he would have broken. The shapes of some of the vowels were entirely strange to Diego. And there were probably many others his eye couldn't see. The older man handed another paper filled with examples of letters, words and phrases in the same hand as the ones he held. "For practice," he said. "Now if Zorro would, in the future, take more care with any future notes he might find the need to write and follow this example, he could well avoid being caught in such a situation again "

"I don't quite know what to say."

"Well, unless Zorro can replace the originals with these, it's all for naught. Do you think Zorro can do it?"

"I don't think that would be a problem." Diego smiled. "Zorro usually manages to come and go at will throughout the quartel whenever the need arises." He secreted the papers inside his jacket, extended a hand to Lord Hodge and said, "Thank you. I am in your debt."

Lord Hodge noticed the change in pronoun. Don Diego had said "I", not "he", and had thereby acknowledged his findings as correct. "No, not at all. It's for the cause of justice. I'm old enough to know that justice does not always remain in the hands of the law. Besides, I feel very guilty about something. I fear I almost got you killed last night. I don't think I gave a thought to what would happen if Zorro were suddenly needed. A foolish old man should know better."

"I think last night was more a case of a foolish young man!" Both mean laughed heartily.

"Now, I do believe you'd better go fill out those census forms for the Alcalde. He seemed most intrigued by the fact that you have waited so long."

Diego was so ravenously hungry by dinnertime that he scarcely noticed the sideways looks given to him by Maria and the other servants.

The latest bit of gossip about the young caballero was almost unbelievable. Don Diego had been becoming increasingly more confident, more bold even. There had been several incidences lately, mostly involving Señorita Escalante that had surprised them all and been the talk of the kitchen and the stables.

Gossip in the pueblo was rampant too, and the consensus of opinion was that if things kept progressing at this rate, there might be a new Doña de la Vega before the year's end!

Maria was very pleased with the way things were turning out, but she was truly amazed, and secretly proud, of her young master's audacity. There was no other young caballero in the whole of California that would have been brave enough to court the woman who had the eye of Zorro!

The girls darted in and out of the dining room a little more often than was normal serving up the two caballeros their dinner, and trying to catch any little, juicy tidbit to pass along to the rest of the staff.

But for the most part, the conversation tonight had been general. Don Alejandro knew his son didn't need any more ribbing. He'd gotten quite enough already just in the process of getting out of the pueblo and back home.

"Did you remember to fill out the census papers?

"Yes, Father. With plenty of time to spare."

"Good. And you reimbursed Victoria for the room and service?"

"Yes, Father. I think I have taken care of everything today." Diego was his old placid self as he answered his father's questions one by one. The whole of dinner had been much the same with no real mention of what was truly on the minds of either gentleman.

"Well, I think I will turn in early tonight. I have started a good book. Anxious to see how it ends. Goodnight, Diego."

"Goodnight, Father." Diego sat awhile at the table, lost in his thoughts. He had a busy night ahead of him. At least he no longer had that blasted headache! Tonight's mission should be no problem. He was startled out of his thoughts by someone banging on the front door.

"Sergeant! How nice to see you! And to what do we owe this pleasure?" Diego greeted his friend pleasantly while at the same time casting an anxious eye at the six lancers who had tramped through the door after him.

"Don Diego, I am sorry, but," he changed to a louder, more official sounding voice, "we have orders to search the premises for that fugitive from the law known as Zorro!"

"Zorro! Here? Surely you must be joking!"

"No, Don Diego, The Alcalde is certain that Zorro was wounded the other night when he fought him in the plaza. He's sure he has taken refuge somewhere and since you and Don Alejandro have been known to be sympathetic to Zorro, he wants us to search this hacienda. Please? You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not, Sergeant. Here, why don't you start with the library?" He led them into the room and walked slowly over to the fireplace to stand casually in front of the part of the mantle hiding the secret lever. He watched, amused, as the group of men looked in every corner and cringed as they clumsily moved in and around the expensive furnishings.

"Men, he's not in here." He looked up at Don Diego as he prepared his men to go on to the next room.

"Happy searching, Sergeant. Feel free to look in every room, though you might want to knock first on my father's door. He has turned in early for the night."

"We'll try to be as quiet as mice. Men, Silencio! We mustn't wake Don Alejandro."

Diego waved the men on down the hallway, grabbed a novel from the shelf and settled down in a comfortable chair.

Sergeant Mendoza hurried his men on down the hall and looked back over his shoulder at the sight of Don Diego engrossed in a book. That man did love his books.

Sometime later, Diego looked up as he heard the commotion of the returning soldiers. They had searched everywhere and now had made their way back towards the door. Each had a slice of Maria's custard in his hand and all were nibbling away at the desert happily.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Diego rose to open the door for the departing lancers and was surprised to see Victoria with her hand raised just about to knock on the door. There was only a moment for the two to register their surprise before she noticed the small group of soldiers ready to leave.

"Sergeant Mendoza! What are you doing here?"

"They are hunting Zorro." Diego looked at her with only a shade of a smile. Victoria's own face registered a good amount of fear to anyone looking closely. But upon seeing the tall caballero's passive manner, she quickly sought to compose herself.

Several minutes later, the men had said their goodbyes and gone off cheerfully licking their fingers of the last of the custard. Diego closed the door after the last man and the two young people stood looking at one another awkwardly.

Finally, it was Victoria who spoke. "You didn't come into town today."

"No, I thought I'd stay away for a few days—let the talk die down," he said, with his eyes lowered.

"I wonder that such a well-respected caballero as yourself would ever let it bother you." An acidic tone had crept into her voice as she spoke and as she finished, she regretted it. "Oh, I'm sorry, Diego. I didn't mean…"

"It's quite all right. I expect and deserve a good tongue-lashing from you. But before you start, why don't you come on in and make yourself comfortable?"

She was pleased to see the resigned look on his face as she swept past him into the room. But almost immediately, the soldiers sprang back into her mind. "Why were Mendoza's men here? Do they suspect—"

He quickly placed a finger to her lips to stop the question. He looked over his shoulder toward to dining room as if to warn her that the servants might be listening.

She was suddenly overwhelmed by the idea of how difficult his life must be when he had to hide his secret, even in his own home. She searched for a safer topic, but Diego was already continuing the conversation.

"The Alcalde seems to have become even more obsessed the last few days. I vaguely remember the soldiers storming around the tavern the other night as well. Zorro seems to have vanished." He smiled at her reaction to his calm manner and led her into the library. "Now, the floor is yours. Lash away." But there was a warning in his eyes too, a warning to steer clear of the subject of her discovery. He crossed to the fireplace and leaned a shoulder against the mantle.

"Diego, I—" Then she stopped and whispered, "Do you really think the servants might be listening?" Obviously, it was going to be impossible to hold the conversation she had meant to have with him

"Haven't you heard? Even before my 'escapade' of the other night, you and I have become the talk of the pueblo. All kind of speculation is being made about us. A result of your 'lessons', I'll be bound. Oh, I think I have quite scandalized the indoor staff. Of course, the vaqueros are quite proud of me." He chuckled.

"You seem to be taking it rather well. Not embarrassed anymore?"

"I wish! And there's still Padre Benitez to go. Now, that is the mea culpa I am dreading. But what's done is done. I am more concerned with what you are thinking of me right now?" It was a question. "Do you forgive me?" He paused, and then added, "For everything?"

She looked down at her hands. This was so strange. She had to remind herself that she was not just talking to Diego. She could now see the quiet confidence behind his easy manner. It had been there all along, but she'd never really noticed. That was the Zorro in Diego. But right now, she was having difficulty in seeing Zorro in his face.

Even the act of pulling the mask from his face had not helped reconcile the two men in her mind and her heart. Part of her wanted to believe that she had really known deep down inside all along. It would even explain her so-long-denied attraction to Diego. But one part of her being was mourning for Zorro, a mythological man, whom she now knew to be the human Diego. The unmasking had brought Zorro down from some kind of mental pedestal she had erected. He was now earth-bound for the first time in her mind. Her thoughts and emotions were running a gamut, but Diego was waiting for an answer.

"I haven't decided fully yet," she warned. "You've still got a lot of explaining to do!" She pointed a warning finger at him and approached him slowly.

"Hmm. Yes, I thought so. Well, how about explanation number one?" His eyes twinkled as she looked at him expectantly.

Then she watched as his hand swept a low arc and indicated the area underneath the mantle. A panel had swung open at the back of the fireplace itself. Victoria's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in amazement.

He motioned for her to follow and he ducked through the opening. She hesitated and then followed the man, keeping close behind him. The secret opening led into a hallway lined with stone, lit dimly with candles in sconces embedded in the walls. Taking her hand, he led her down the stone steps until the passageway opened up into the large cave-like room she had been in once so long ago.

She looked back toward the steps. "And no one else knows?"

"No one, except Felipe. He has been with me in this from the very beginning, of course."

"Of course…" Memories of Felipe running into the tavern in a rush and Diego disappearing raced across her mind.

She walked slowly around, drinking in the sights of the room. "This does bring back memories." When she had last been here, she had tried so hard to commit every inch she could view to memory, trying in vain to gain the slightest clue as to the identity of the masked man. To think she had been just on the other side of a wall from the de la Vega hacienda!

She walked over to the table and looked carefully at the items there. Glassware of all kinds, test tubes and some curious small barrel shaped objects were scattered there. "What are these?"

"My latest attempts to perfect a precise timing mechanism for fuses."

She looked at him questioningly.

He replied simply, "For bombs."

"Oh!" She backed away from the table then looked over at him. In that moment, she made the connection between the inspired, resourceful mind of Zorro and the educated book-loving Diego. "This is going to take some getting used to, the idea of thinking of you as –"

"As him? Yes, I suppose so. I sometimes have trouble myself. Even in my thoughts, I refer to Zorro in the third person. Then there are days I am amazed I have ever fooled anyone." He clasped his hands behind his back and stepped slowly over to where she stood. "You were the most difficult of all to deceive. Every time I was in your presence, I wondered how you could not know. My feelings were so strong… I felt you would guess. If you had ever really looked at me…you might have."

"I've hurt you." She could see it now.

"It was my decision to keep all this from you." She noticed he didn't deny it. "I had to accept that as a result."

"And, all this time…" Her voice changed as her thoughts darted from one point to the next. "And your mystery woman—"

"Was you," he said quietly. "Only you."

"Is this where I confess to jealousy?"

"I long to hear it." His eyes danced as he took in how her hair shown in the candlelight. "But I thought this was _my_ time for confession." She had moved around to the other side of the massive oak table and he made as if to follow her.

His leg lightly bumped the edge and the sharp intake of his breath drew her attention.

"Your leg! I forgot—"

"No, it is fine. It is just here," he gestured toward his upper thigh, "it was rather a deep cut." He waved away her look of concern. "I told Sir Edmund when he gave me that sabre that my goal would be it would never draw blood. Never did I think the first it would touch would be my own!" They both laughed at the irony.

"But it was a deep cut." She tried to sound stern. "I hope you've take care of it properly"

They both thought back to the circumstances of how the cut had come to be and how embarrassing it had been for him when she discovered just how far up it went. The two young people doubled over in laughter and she said, "The look on your face when you admitted to what you'd done!"

"And the look on yours when you thought you would have to dress it!"

"And you bled all over my bed! It looked so serious."

"But I assure you I was feeling no pain."

"Yes, alcohol does dull the senses."

"I just wish I had realized…you tried to tell me, didn't you? If I'd only been paying attention to you…"

"I think I believed if you guessed…it would somehow help absolve me from the danger I would be putting you in. I have been more open with you lately…but I think it is because I have just grown so tired of the waiting. It has been unfair to you."

"But Zorro's work is not done. You can't remove the mask yet."

"Zorro cannot marry you, and short of a pardon or decree of amnesty, I do not know that he ever could." He pulled her to him. "But Diego de la Vega…I…could."

She pushed him away firmly "Yes, you could…but I have not heard a proposal from Diego de la Vega, and if you think—"

He began, "Will you –" as he quickly dropped down on his left knee, and almost as quickly let out a sharp cry of pain.

"Diego!" Victoria knelt beside him, immediately concerned about his injured leg. But he was already chuckling to himself.

"You see! Now Zorro would not have had a problem with that. He would never stumble. He is—"

She stood and said sternly, "He is you! And you do seem to always have an excuse to stop short of saying anything that might commit yourself to me. Are you sure you want to marry me as much as Zorro always pretended to?"

"Victoria, of course, I—"

"Then?"

Looking up at her from the floor, he swallowed and began, "Victoria , will you …?" But Diego couldn't resist stopping to ask, "But what will Zorro say?"

"He had better just ask the question properly, Señor!" she huffed, her anger returning anew. "And I am not so sure he's going to get the answer he expects!"

"Diego!" The raised voice of Alejandro came from inside the sala and they both froze.

"Diego!" The call grew a little fainter.

Diego rose and went to the wall and checked through the peephole there. They waited until the way was clear, and before his father made another round of checking the rooms for his errant son, he and Victoria were seated on the sofa together, studying a book between them.

"Diego! Victoria! I did not know you were here, my dear." He glanced between the two of them, slightly confused, with the dazed look of someone who has been awakened from a sound sleep. As they both started to speak up, he raised a hand to stop them. "No don't even start, I thought… Oh...never mind!" Then on a different note, "Son, did you know there are soldiers all around the house?"

"Yes, Father. They are looking for Zorro." Victoria eyed Diego closely, marveling at the cool exterior he displayed. And a small thought crept into the back of her mind. Was this a good thing that he could fool people so completely? Was he finished with fooling her forever? She wasn't so sure his amazing ability to playact was a good trait to have in a husband!

"My, my! Well, my dear, goodnight. It is growing rather late, you know. Perhaps you should see her home, Diego." Then he turned to retreat back down the hall to his room, feeling as if the entire world was out of his control, mumbling, "Looking for Zorro, here…"

When Victoria heard the door close down the distant hallway, she dissolved into laughter. "How do you do this all the time? I never realized how complicated your life must be… to keep it all straight."

He pressed a finger to his own lips to remind her again to be alert to eavesdroppers and he laughed silently. Then she turned serious although she did change her volume to just above a whisper. "You've laughed at me too, haven't you?" She suddenly felt guilty over her own laughter at Don Alejandro. "It must have been so amusing to trick me."

"No, no. That…that was just the moment and being caught with you…Most of the time, I've felt badly for the deceptions I've had to make. Believe me in this. Now…our lessons…well…" He allowed a smile to curl the corners of his mouth. "I wish we could somehow replay those for you. I had even made up my mind to start trying to show you more of me—the real me…to let those lessons be sort of a preparation process for telling you. But our relationship seemed to be so …so…stuck. You couldn't see me as anything but…a friend."

"You're wrong, you know. I was fighting it. I wasn't supposed to have those feelings about anyone but Zorro. So I held you away every chance I got. If you only knew how many times I went to bed feeling guilty about stray thoughts of you. I was being disloyal…even cheating…when I did that. And you! You even made me jealous of myself!"

"And that is precisely what you've had me doing for years!"

"Don't you dare start turning the blame back on me!"

He opened his mouth to reply, but she continued, "And Safira! If that was over and done with, why does she feel it necessary to write to you now? Why does she think you need to know her whereabouts?"

"Well, she—" He stopped and grinned broadly. "You know, these are such insignificant points when compared to our real problems." He let his voice sink into a whisper, "I still can't shake the feeling that I'm asking you to come share a gallows with me."

"I know the risks and I'm willing to take them if it means we can finally be together."

"Convincing the people you've given up on Zorro may be a challenge."

"How about a fight?"

"A public quarrel? Hmm—but that could possibly damage Zorro's perfect reputation as a gentleman,." he said thoughtfully.

"Zorro's reputation!" She slapped at his chest. "Is that all—" The rest of her protest was lost as he stopped her tirade with a kiss, a thought-erasing, anger-melting kiss.

"All right. But we have to plan this. You do understand that Zorro has to remain a bit above everyone. His effectiveness depends on it. Do you see that?"

"Yes." She was completely docile now, ready to accept whatever he wanted of her. But a small prickling in the back of her mind warned her—_Diego was not just Diego anymore_.

He smiled down at her expectant upturned face, then rose and pulled her to her feet.

"It is late. You should be getting back to the pueblo. I'll ride back with you." As they went through the door together, he saw the objection she was about to voice and said, "Please, spare me the change of clothes, because I will see you home, one way or another."

"You've done that each time?" When he nodded, she said, "See… this will make your life so much simpler." He helped her up onto the seat of the wagon. "You should have told me years ago."

"I probably should have."

"And you should tell your father." She looked at him reproachfully. "It's not fair to let him go on thinking—"

"That his son's a coward?"

"He doesn't think that!"

"Oh yes, he does. He even said it to my face once. I don't think I ever regretted this whole masquerade as much as I did on that day."

"You have to tell him."

"I will," he said, but she could tell by his dull tone that it was something he was dreading.

"Oh, I just remembered." His face grew more animated in the moonlight. "There's something I have to do. It doesn't look like I'll get out of that change of clothes after all. Be on your way, but go slowly enough for me to catch up."

"All right, but what—"

"Zorro has to break into the Alcalde's office tonight. Lord Hodge gave me some forged notes to substitute for the original one written by Zorro that De Soto has."

"What are you talking about?" Now she was confused.

"The census. It is a scheme of the Alcalde's to find out who Zorro is. He's enlisted Lord Hodge to expose his identity by comparing handwriting samples of all the caballeros to those written by Zorro."

"Oh! Can he do that?"

"Apparently. Lord Hodge knows." He caught the look on her face. "No, it's all right. He's changed his mind about helping the Alcalde. He even told me how to avoid this problem in the future."

"But why doesn't he just tell the Alcalde that he can't identify—"

"Because De Soto has another expert coming next week to verify Hodge's findings. The forgeries should fool him. At least, Lord Hodge thinks they will, and he is the expert. Wait for me?"

"Haven't I been doing that forever?"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Zorro had never seen the Alcalde's office so heavily guarded as it was that night. He crouched in the shadows as he debated his course of action. Creating a diversion might draw them away, but if he were even so much as seen in the pueblo tonight, it might alert the Alcalde to the substitution he had planned. After a few minutes, he made his way toward the stables, taking even more care than usual to move silently and stay in deep shadows.

But it was soon evident that, tonight, there was no way of getting inside the Alcalde's office, or indeed, the quartel itself, unless he wanted to dispose of some guards first. Sometime after midnight, Zorro was on his way back to the hacienda, foiled, for once, by the preparations of the Alcalde.

Felipe picked up on his dark mood the moment he and Tornado entered the cave. He rushed up to take the reins and begin to rub down the horse as Zorro jumped down and began pulling off his mask. It was plain. Zorro was very irritated.

"The lancers were everywhere! I couldn't even get close!" He slung the cape and mask over the clothes rack and stood there with his head bowed for several minutes before turning around to look at Felipe. "De Soto knows very well what he's got locked up in there. He means to keep his evidence."

Felipe signed a quick question. "What am I going to do? I am not sure." He pulled off his gloves and threw them onto the table in front of him. Anger still flowed in his veins. "I must think. But there's no way I can just break in there the usual way, disposing of guards as I go."

He turned to watch as Felipe's hands moved rapidly. "Ether? I've already thought of that. But there's so many of them out there tonight. I am not sure even I can put them to sleep one by one quickly enough to avoid an alarm being raised. Hmmm. But what about that experiment I was…"

His eyes lit up and he crossed over to the large table. "Yes, here it is." He held up a huge glass bottle of a greenish tinged liquid. "Now where are those canisters I was going to try with this?" Diego began rambling for the items underneath the table. "Ahh! Now! If we devise some special "bombs" containing this, it may just be possible to put a whole roomful of lancers to sleep at one time.

As he usually did, he kept talking while Felipe worked taking care of Tornado. It never hurt to reinforce his instruction in the sciences to the boy when there was actual hands-on work to be done. "The acetylation should have accomplished the desired effect. If we hadn't wasted so much time on the methylation process before, we'd have found this so much sooner. But that's the meaning of experimentation. Knowing what doesn't work is as important as learning what does work. And we know this works. Tonight, we'll find out if our delivery system works as well!"

Once Felipe had finished up with Tornado, he joined Diego. He could see his friend's mood was settling down at last and began smiling as if at some secret amusement. It didn't take Diego too long to notice. "Want to tell me what is so funny?"

Felipe signed his answer.

"Oh, you think I couldn't get into the quartel because I was distracted by Victoria?" Diego sighed. "I will admit she has been filling my thoughts right now. Life is about to change for me. For her. For all of us. That makes it more important than ever that I not be found out."

He shoved several barrel-shaped metal canisters into Felipe's hands. "So get to work! Fill those for me." Felipe laughed as he grabbed for the large bottle of Diego's new formula from the table as Diego cautioned, "Carefully! You know what it can do. And I—"

The bottle crashed and broke on the stone floor, its contents splashing all over Diego's black pants. He was quick to try to calm the boy. "It is all right! No harm done. Just try not to breath in the—"

But Felipe was already slumping to the floor, overcome by the heavy fumes.

Diego moved quickly to the clothes rack and snatched the mask that he had just placed there. He held it over his nose even as he tried to hold his breath. He managed to drag Felipe only a few feet from the spilled liquid on the floor before his bursting lungs forced him to breathe. Drawing in a long, deep breath, despite not wanting to, he immediately felt the effects of the unseen gas in the room. It was useless. His own clothes were saturated with the stuff. In one last attempt, he moved toward the steps and the library. The thick air weighed his steps down and he stumbled. In a slow, leaden motion, his body collapsed to the floor as the heavy gas-laden air cloaked around his body.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Alcalde De Soto was positively swaggering. He wore his very best dress uniform with the most elegant cravat that had ever graced the small pueblo. Today was the day we would have his victory! Only a few more census forms to compare, and Lord Hodge would give him his verdict. He would know the identity of Zorro!

"Service!" He yelled even though the serving girl was only a few feet away. He wanted all eyes on him, drinking in his successful glow. He was the master of all he surveyed. This town would grovel now!

"Si, Señor?"

"Bring me your very biggest, juiciest steak! And a bottle of champagne! I mean to start celebrating now!" De Soto made a sweeping gesture with his arm, knowing he now had the full attention of everybody in the tavern.

"Champagne, Alcalde?" Victoria walked up behind him as the girl scurried to comply with his orders.

"Ah, yes, Señorita! But then, you know the reason why I am celebrating! You would have to. Zorro wouldn't be able to hide his fear from you, now, would he?" He smoothed the ends of his mustache as he sneered at her.

"Fear! Of you? Oh, Alcalde, even you know better than that. Zorro fears no man!" She set the jug down so hard on the table, the water sloshed over the rim and onto the man's sleeve. She smiled as she watched him jump up and brush the liquid off, bellowing all the while.

"Whatever you may hope to still believe, know this, you foolish woman, Zorro is mine! He cannot escape being found out this day!"

"Hmmf!" She flounced away from him in a huff. But inside, she worried. Diego had not been in today. She could use a little reassurance about now. The Alcalde seemed so sure of himself.

The murmurings and speculation continued around the room as the Alcalde ate his meal. He barely touched the champagne, preferring to keep his wits about him for the most important moment of his life. He had ordered it for effect. Maybe he'd have it later, when he had Zorro, unmasked, safely locked in his jail.

He was downing the last morsel of his steak when Lord Hodge was escorted by three lancers into the tavern.

Victoria looked up and was alarmed at the distressed look on the Englishman's face. Diego had said he would not be helping the Alcalde. She wished Diego were here.

"Well, Lord Hodge! Your report? You have him for me?" De Soto wiped at the corner of his mouth with a napkin as he rose and looked expectantly at the man.

"No, Sir, I don't. The notes do not match any of the samples you gave me." He said it with surety, but there was an element of fear in his voice and face. He too, had expected Zorro to be present for this. The Alcalde was clearly out of his mind concerning the capture of the outlaw and he was not above retribution against someone who failed to help him.

"What do you mean?" Steel blue eyes bored into his face. De Soto was livid!

"I mean, Sir, that I cannot match up samples to those that just do not match! The man was not among the caballeros that signed the census papers." He held his head high, hoping his manner carried an authority he was not feeling at the moment.

"That is impossible! He is one of them! He has to be!" With each word, De Soto's voice grew louder and more strident. "You led me to believe you could find him! I'll have your head for this!" He shook his fist in Hodge's face. "Lancers! Arrest this man!" The three-man escort sprang into action, each grabbing for a hold on the tall thin man. "If I cannot hang Zorro, then you will hang in his place!"

The lancers dragged the English nobleman across the plaza as the people watched. Victoria's cries were lost in the noise of the military presence spread before her. She gasped as she looked around her. The Alcalde had assembled the entire quartel in dress uniform and they were scattered throughout the plaza. Key positions were covered. All were armed. Muskets were primed and ready. De Soto had fully expected to just pluck the masquerading Zorro from the many caballeros present about the pueblo and haul him off to his jail. But now, the one being dragged to his cell was Lord Hodge.

She caught up to De Soto's impressive form as he strode determinedly behind his lancers. "Alcalde! You can't do this! You can't—"

"Do not presume to tell me what I can or can't do! he snarled. "Your precious Zorro can save him! But is he here?" He turned to the crowd and addressed them. "Good people of Los Angeles! You see how your hero deserts his helpers! When he's cornered, he hides like the vermin of a fox he is. He retreats to his lair to lick his wounds!" De Soto's face twisted into a maniacal mask of hatred. "Let it be known! This man dies today in his place! Only Zorro can save him by turning himself in to pay for his crimes against you all!"

Victoria raced for the stables. She had to find Diego. The two-mile ride to the hacienda seemed to take an eternity though she urged the horse at its fastest stride. When she came up on the hacienda, she could see Don Alejandro about to mount Dulcinea just outside the gate.

"Victoria! What brings you—" And then he noticed the distressed look on her face. "Victoria! What's wrong?" He helped her dismount and steadied her with an arm about her shoulders.

"Where's Diego?" Desperation tinged her voice. "He's got to—"

"He's not here. He and Felipe didn't come home last night. Their beds were not slept in."

"But he's got to be! He has to—" She faltered as confusion clasped a cold hand on her heart.

"I was coming to see if they'd chosen to stay in town last night. Victoria!" He held her up as she almost swooned in his arms. "Victoria!"

"I—I'm all right. Wait! I think I know where to start looking." She broke from his grasp and headed toward the door of the hacienda.

"Victoria. But I told you, he's not there!" Don Alejandro shouted as he followed her through the door. He saw her turn into the arch way to the sala and stopped short as he watched her begin beating on the underside of the mantle piece. "Victoria? What on earth are you—"

"It's here someplace! Help me find it!" She sounded hysterical to him, but he found himself crossing to the fireplace to see what she could mean.

"What's here? Help you find what? What are you looking for?" He watched her fingers prod and probe the marble. "What—"

Then he heard a faint swooshing sound and he looked down to see the panel sliding back inside the back of the fireplace. He knew at once what was behind it.

"Well, I'll be—" But Victoria was already through the opening. He ducked his head down and followed.

They ran down the steps and both stopped at the sight before them. Diego and Felipe lay sprawled on the rough stone floor of the hidden cave. The fumes hit them almost immediately and Alejandro acted quickly. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to the girl. "Try not to breathe! There's something in the air!" He held his breath as he and Victoria began dragging Diego's limp body up the short stone steps. It was no easy task, even between the two of them, getting such a big man up the steps and through the low passageway.

After what seemed like an age, they had him through the opening and lying safely on the carpet in the sala, and both were bending over, drawing in labored breaths of fresh, sweet air.

"I'll go back…for Felipe…in a minute. Got to …get my …breath," Alejandro gasped between breaths.

He started to close the sliding panel but then, thinking about Felipe inside, he decided against it. Instead, he stumbled over to the window and opened it, letting in the fresh outside air.

Victoria was running her hands over Diego. She could feel his heart beating, a strong and steady beat, and she saw his chest rising and falling in slow respiration. "He's just asleep…passed out." The relief flowed through her whole body. "Madre de Dios! He's just asleep!"

Alejandro leaned over him and saw she was right. "One of his experiments…I suspect!" He looked at Victoria as he realized that his son must have divulged his secret to her. How else could she have known about that room. A room in his own house that he hadn't even known was there! A small pang of hurt stabbed at his heart. Why couldn't his son have trusted him as much as he must trust this young girl…and Felipe. "Felipe! I have to get Felipe—"

"Felipe!" Diego roused at the name and his eyes fluttered open. He struggled to sit up, shaking his head to clear it. "No…I will… go…for… him."

"But you're not well, Diego, you can't!" Victoria admonished.

"It is just the gas…" he said thickly. "It doesn't last …long, but with the cave …all closed up like that… and my …clothes…they were splashed with it. I must go—"

"Wait a few minutes, Son. If the gas isn't dangerous, Felipe can remain in the cave until your head clears a little. You're sure it isn't dangerous?" Alejandro pressed him.

"No, Father… it was for use… on the soldiers. I would …never hurt them. You have to know …that. Oh—" he shut his eyes and groaned. Somewhere in the back of his foggy mind, there was a tug that something was not right here. Something was terribly wrong. He looked up into the beautiful eyes of the woman he loved and it hit him all at once. The cave! He had shown Victoria the cave and now his father knew about it as well! The shocking thought of that drove the oppressive heaviness from his lungs in a rush.

"Father?" he said almost fearfully.

"Yes, Diego, I am here."

"I…I…" But he could not complete the thought, much less the sentence. This would have to wait. There were things he needed to do. Felipe. Someone else was in trouble too…but he couldn't think of just who that …

"Diego?" His father stood there with a glass of water thrust at him. "Here, drink this. It might help."

Diego sipped the water slowly as the room once more came into focus around him. This was too reminiscent of the haziness of being drunk for his taste. "At least the gas worked", he thought wryly.

He struggled to sit up, with both his father and Victoria hovering over him.

"Thank you. Thank you both. I don't—" he said as he tried to stand on shaky legs with their help.  
"I mean I think I can do this now." He breathed in a strong breath and shook his head. "I have to go now."

"Diego, are you sure you should—" Alejandro began, but Diego was already heading toward the fireplace. Inhaling deeply of the good air of the room, he opened the panel once more.

Soon, he was carrying a sleeping Felipe in through the opening and laying him gingerly on the sofa.

"He should wake soon, when his lungs clear out the chemical. We shouldn't worry if he is affected by it longer though. He received a bigger dose of the gas because of his smaller size and his age." Diego lifted Felipe's eyelids in turn to check his pupils. Satisfied, he rose to his feet.

His own head was throbbing with the lingering effects of this experimental gas, but his head was clearing enough to realize that his father was standing there looking at him with newfound knowledge. There would have to be some long explanations before long. But for now, there was more to do. And the sooner he got out of this room and away from those inquiring eyes of his father, the better.

"I'm going around to the cave entrance. I need to get that opened so it will air out the cave. And I have to get Tornado out of there."

"Diego!" The purpose of her coming leapt back into her mind. "The Alcalde's going to hang Lord Hodge! That's why…he said he—"

But Diego was way ahead of her. This was the price that his failure to get into the quartel last night would cost. Hodge was covering for him.

"They have already erected the gallows. I came as quickly as I could." Victoria

"Then I should be going." Diego turned to go, all at once grateful for the excuse of the need for his hasty departure and guilty about the need of it.

He ran out of the gates of the hacienda and followed the wall to its end, where he dropped down from the rocky ridge into the small canyon that lay behind the house. After some minutes of scrambling down the rocks, he stood before the hidden cave entrance. Then he picked out a suitably sized rock and used it to trigger the mechanism to open the door to the cave. Leaving it in place, so it would hold it open for now and the air inside could clear, he entered the cave.

Tornado was lying in his stall where he'd been overcome by the fumes. His huge brown eyes were open and with the inrush of air into the cave, he was waking up quickly. With some coaxing and some cool water splashed on his nose, the horse rose from the floor in one massive, awkward move. Diego led him out of the opening and watched him carefully as he shook his head from side to side, neighing softly and snorting.

"You're all right, boy. Just a little sleepy, huh ? There, now…you're fine now." He spoke softly to the stallion and watched as his eyes seemed to grow brighter and his ears twitched forward in alertness.

"Stay here, Tornado. I will be back and then there will be work to do." He grinned at the horse and it seemed that the horse understood every word. Tornado pawed at the earth in front of him as if to agree. Apparently, he was eager to get at "their work".

After retrieving his costume and weapons from the cave, Diego finished the change into Zorro and then leapt up onto Tornado's back, his boots never touching the stirrups. He would have liked to go back to the house and check on Felipe, but there was simply no time.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Zorro raced across the desert plain, his cape flying out behind him, giving the impression of a dark, cloaked avenging angel. The miles disappeared beneath Tornado's long stride as he gathered back his awesome strength and speed with every new intake of breath. Zorro, too, was grateful for the healing, cool wind on his face as they sailed toward the pueblo.

He could see the gallows that had been hastily erected in the plaza long before Tornado raced through the gates of the pueblo and stopped well away from the wooden platform.

"Alcalde! It is I you want. Why torture the innocent with your games?" Zorro challenged with arms held open wide. The sight of the armed lancers leveling guns toward them was the usual sign to the horse to run, but he held still at the almost imperceptible signals from his master.

"Fire!" De Soto screamed and a volley of shots rang through the pueblo all aimed at Zorro.

But he had judged his distance well and the rounds all fell just short of his place before the gate. As soon as the last shot was fired, Zorro urged Tornado forward to approach the gallows.

"How many times must I warn you against carrying out a sentence before a trial!" Zorro actually laughed and he hoped the apprehension he felt was not heard in his voice.

There were soldiers scattered throughout the pueblo that he'd never seen before now. Foreign faces amid the crowd stared up at him. Where had the Alcalde recruited these men? And just how skilled with those muskets were they? How fast could they reload?

The Alcalde laughed in return. "I have you now, Outlaw! And this man will die before you! He has helped you escape my plan to expose you with his lies. But no matter! We can unmask your dead body when it lies at my feet!"

Zorro looked over at the trembling man standing on the gallows with the noose around his neck. Looks exchanged between the two, one of resignation, one of apology. Lasting for only a few seconds, the pause was just long enough for a lancer to surprise Zorro, whose quick reflexes were now slowed by the latent traces of gas still flowing through his blood. The lancer hefted a huge club, swinging it in an arc, sweeping Zorro from his saddle. Tornado moved forward, ready to fight, but at a hand signal from Zorro, he backed up and stood still, but tensed and ready.

Looking to his right, Zorro could see the lancer who had wielded the club, now being held back, his arms pinned to his side by two strapping young caballeros. Peons, caballeros, townspeople and lancers filled the plaza. Yet the only ones coming forward were the new faces in the crowd. The new recruits the Alcalde had drawn from other pueblos.

Zorro drew his sword and the ring of new lancers gave him ample room. The odds were insurmountable, but they had all heard of this man's reputation. None wanted to be the first one to try to take him. A wide smile spread across Zorro's face as he realized the extent of their fear of him.

"Arrest him!" The Alcalde screamed at the lancers. "What are you waiting for?" But there was silence all around as eyes darted back and forth. "Kill him!" De Soto became livid. "I said, Kill him!"

Zorro stood smiling and ready, but no one challenged him. Then De Soto drew his own sword and advanced forward. Lancers backed away to let him through unobstructed. "Then the pleasure appears to be mine!"

"Pleasure or shame, Alcalde? It seems no one here wants to play your game." Zorro smiled as the man shouted at him to stand en guard.

Zorro passed his blade before his face in a quick salute and gave a serious nod. But De Soto was already charging with his blade. He lunged forward and went flying wildly as Zorro stepped coolly aside. He was back with a succession of thrusts and Zorro parried each one with ease, even displaying a touch of boredom. The new faces in the crowd witnessed the master swordsman playing, toying with his opponent as he maneuvered him around the plaza. No one interfered.

The clanging of steel upon steel was the only sound, save for the increasingly ragged breathing of De Soto as the battle wore on between them. Zorro allowed himself to be driven back at times and De Soto pressed his seeming advantage, not seeing the purpose of the moves. All the while, Zorro smiled and the Alcalde raged. The duel went on as the combat circled around until finally Zorro was in the place he wanted to be.

At his closest proximity to the gallows, Zorro disengaged and performed a perfect redoublement that sent De Soto's weapon flying out of his hands. As the Alcalde scrambled for his sabre, Zorro took the steps up to the gallows two at a time and had Hodge freed from the noose and his bounds cut before De Soto even turned around to rejoin the fight.

"You villain!" De Soto yelled gruffly. "You've interfered for the last time!"

In answer, Zorro leapt to the ground within a few feet of the man. "Now, where were we?" The sabres crossed again, and this time, De Soto's moves were totally defensive as Zorro grew tired of the display.

Suddenly, a shot rang out from a distance and Zorro turned toward the source. With his attention diverted for a critical second, De Soto lunged in a last great attempt to drive his blade into the outlaw. At the very last moment, Zorro deflected the blow downward, but he misjudged the movement and felt the sharp steel slice at his left thigh. His own self-inflected wound reopened at the strike and he could feel the warm trickle of blood oozing down his leg once more. Letting out a small involuntary grunt of pain at the intense sting of the wound, Zorro stumbled backwards.

Everyone present heard the quiet exclamation of pain in the dead silence of the match, and De Soto sensed the sudden weakness in the masked man. As Zorro backed up a few paces, De Soto advanced menacingly.

Then a second shot rang out, this time much closer, and the sounds of thundering horses' hooves became audible to everyone there.

"Halt! I command you! A commanding voice broke through the sudden uproar of noise as an entire military regiment surrounded the outer rim of the pueblo and the plaza.

De Soto sheathed his sword in triumphant glee. Now his victory was imminent! Spain had sent his reinforcements. He smiled wickedly at the surprised Zorro. "Now! We will see just who is behind that mask!" De Soto stepped toward Zorro with authority, his hand outstretched, reaching for the mask.

"Halt, I say!" A uniformed General had dismounted and was striding toward the two men so lately engaged in combat.

"Gentlemen, just what seems to be the trouble here?" he asked seriously. The general had taken in the masked, caped man with no hint of surprise.

"General…?"

"General Hernando Manzanares, at your service. And you are…" he looked expectantly at the Alcalde.

"Ignacio De Soto. I am the Alcalde of the Pueblo de Los Angeles, appointed by the King of Spain," he announced impressively.

"Ah, yes, I have heard of you. But there is one small problem here, I see."

"Yes, and you are just in time to witness the unmasking of—" De Soto started forward again, hand reaching out toward Zorro's mask.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The threat in the general's voice was obvious. Zorro remained silent as he studied the uniforms of the newly arrived soldiers. These were not Spanish uniforms.

"But he's Zorro! He's a criminal and I have just arrested him!" De Soto struggled to make sense of the man's reluctance to aid him.

"You do not have the power to arrest anyone! You had better get used to the idea." The man turned his back on De Soto and announced to the crowd around them, "People of Los Angeles, I am here to inform you of the military takeover of this pueblo by the Mexican government! We mean it to be a peaceful one. No one will be hurt, if you cooperate." The crowd stood stunned by the news.

"Mexico!" De Soto sputtered. "But that's impossible!" His fury was fueled as Zorro broke into laughter.

"He put you up to this!" He pulled out his sword once more and pointed it at Zorro. Immediately, at least forty of the newly arrived soldiers leveled loaded muskets at De Soto. His eyes grew into large circles.

"Perhaps you had better put that away, Ignacio. You are at a distinct disadvantage right now." Zorro said calmly. "However, I am flattered that you think me capable of controlling whole governments. Quite a compliment." He winked at the man.

The General advanced toward Zorro and extended a hand of greeting. "El Zorro! We have heard of you even as far south as Mexico City." He looked over at the gallows. "For you, I presume?"

"Not this time. But for an innocent man, just the same. I thank you for your intervention."

"No qualms about realigning political sympathies toward a different government?" The General eyed him suspiciously. He only hoped he would not have to go up against the man before him.

"I have no political feelings one way or another, as long as the government is a just one."

De Soto still stood there incredulous. "You mean you aren't going to arrest him?" He looked around at the impassive faces of the soldiers. "He's an outlaw! A criminal! A menace to society!"

"But he's broken no law of Mexico. At least, not yet. And Spanish law is now null and void in this pueblo. Do you wish to raise an objection?"

De Soto looked slowly around at the muskets still pointed in his direction.

"No, no objection," he said weakly. Inwardly, his feelings raged. "I will be willing to aid in the transfer of administration. If I may return to my office to ready the…uh…"

"Of course." And he let the former Alcalde of Los Angeles slink back through the crowd.

"A word of warning, General, you may have trouble with that one." Zorro inclined his head to the spot where De Soto had melted into the crowd.

"No need for that warning, El Zorro. I have seen full reports on that one from both Spanish sources as well as our own. One does not get to be a general without access to some information from all sides. I have also seen the reports about you."

"And…" Zorro prompted.

The general shrugged. "I am here with my men only temporarily, to prepare the people for the coming government and to keep the peace in this area. I would hope you will do nothing to prevent either of those goals. We do not expect much trouble with the transfer, but there may be some resistance. I hope the entire process is a peaceful one."

"As do I." Zorro said and almost immediately he stumbled as his injured leg gave way beneath him.

"Do you need help, Señor?" The General asked, ready to dismount and help the outlaw.

"No, no" he said as he recovered his bearing. "But I will be going now, if you have no objection?" Zorro let out a shrill whistle and Tornado nuzzled his way through the ring of soldiers that had separated him from his master. Responding to Zorro's commands, he halted just before the wooden gallows and turned alongside the platform. Zorro stepped into a stirrup, held up a hand to Lord Hodge and pulled him from the stand and into position just behind him astride Tornado.

With a smile and a wave, he gave free rein to the horse. The mass of people parted like a wave before them and the two med rode quickly through the pueblo gates.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Zorro, I don't know how I can ever thank you. I am still shaking inside. I have never been that close to death in my life!" Lord Hodge yelled his thanks over Zorro's shoulder as they raced across the desert. He was beginning to think, from their speed, that he was not quite out of danger yet.

"My pleasure. I am sorry that it took me so long to come to your aid. But, Lord Hodge, I have a request of you now."

"Anything, my dear man, anything! I owe you my life," Hodge said soberly.

"Do you see that cloud of dust ahead?" Zorro slowed Tornado to a slow walk.

"Yes, I see it."

"Well, that would be Don Alejandro and Señorita Escalante and I do not want…I mean…I would rather not…" Zorro's voice faltered as he tried to explain without truly explaining.

"I think I understand. You may be quite a hero, Zorro, but you've got some very common problems, women and family!" Hodge chuckled as he felt Zorro physically slump in the saddle. "I am sorry. I know it's not so amusing to you. You're in the thick of it, aren't you?

"Quite."

"And what is it exactly that you do want? Hmm?" Hodge asked seriously.

"I want… I want Victoria," he said simply. "I want this … need … to be Zorro to …just … stop…" Zorro breathed out heavily as he saw the cloud of dust approaching, ever closer. "And I don't want to talk to either of them right now," he finished, shaking his head.

"You do know, my boy, that you can never have her as Zorro?"

Zorro winced slightly at being called a "boy" but nodded silently.

"Well, then, I would say that you, Zorro, are destined to be a cad. There's no other way. You've taken this 'relationship' with the young miss too far, for far too long, for anyone watching to think anything else." Hodge patted Zorro on the back lightly. "I have a feeling this will be like tasting a bitter medicine for you. I think you have been using Zorro in many ways in your own life as… your other self…well, as something of a crutch."

"Oh really?" It was Zorro's turn to chuckle. "And just how would you know such a thing about me already?"

"Handwriting can tell many things about a person. You would be surprised. It also helps to be an outsider coming into the situation to see things more clearly," Hodge answered.

"You're going to have to openly, in front of a crowd, have a big fight. She's got to be able to have a reason to turn her affections to …to your other self. You are going to have to sacrifice some of Zorro's nobility toward her or you'll never be able to have what you want. Just brace yourself and do it."

Both men's attention was drawn from the conversation by the sound of many horses approaching from the direction of the pueblo. Zorro turned Tornado to face the new arrivals, aware that the de la Vega carriage was pulling up quickly on the path behind them.

"Hola, General!" he greeted the man he'd met so recently with a smile and a sweeping wave from the brim of his hat. "What brings you out this way?" he asked, trying to keep suspicion out of his voice.

"Zorro! We meet again." He saluted the man in black. "We are on our way to the de la Vega hacienda. I'm told that Don Alejandro—"

"You are in luck, General, for here is Don Alejandro himself." Zorro turned to indicate the older man driving the carriage that had just stopped in the road. "Don Alejandro, may I present to you General Manzanares. He and his men have just taken over the government of the pueblo in the name of Mexico." Zorro's smile had vanished. He only hoped his father and Victoria would grasp the seriousness of the situation quickly.

"Don Alejandro, I am honored." The General bowed his head slightly and continued, "On behalf of Emperor Iturbide of Mexico, I hereby request of you to accept the title of Alcalde of the pueblo de Los Angeles. It will be a temporary appointment for now—"

"General!" Don Alejandro interrupted, "stop right there, please. You do know I have sympathies that lie firmly with the Royal family of Spain!"

The General smiled. "Yes, I am well aware of this. It is one of the reasons why we know so much about you. We also know that you are a fair and just man and you will make the ideal choice for the job of helping us to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. I think you are wise enough also to see the inevitability of the coming changes.

Don Alejandro looked down as he thought over the proposition. This was one way he could keep his eye on things and possibly have some sway over events. He thought back to the occasion before when this same position had been thrust upon him and remembered what he had been able to accomplish. Looking over at Zorro, he also remembered that it would be within his power to issue pardons.

"Very well! I'll do it!" He cast a warning gaze at the General. "But I warn you, Sir, I will not foreswear the Royal family. I still retain my allegiance to them even while serving the pueblo. Do you have any objections to that?" Don Alejandro challenged.

"Not at all, Don Alejandro. We can forego the usually oaths for the time being and this will only be a temporary appointment anyway. As long as peace is maintained and no insurrections attempted," he glanced over at Zorro, "I see no reason why personal feelings should prevent someone of your stature in this community from taking part in serving the new government. Indeed, anyone who can feel such strong loyalties is exactly the type of person we would seek for such positions. After all, we all want the same thing, a peaceful pueblo."

"But what of Alcalde De Soto?" Don Alejandro asked.

"He has found it expedient to leave us. And apparently, he also thought it best to leave the pueblo's coffers empty. I have men engaged in searching for him. De Soto has a lot of explaining to do."

His intended business done, the General took note of the Señorita seated in the carriage next to Don Alejandro. "And is this your daughter, Don Alejandro?" he asked, with a very interested air, and dismounted to stride over to the carriage.

"No, General—" Don Alejandro began.

But at the word, 'no", the General grew visibly bolder. "I am at your service, Señorita. I had no idea that such beauty existed in this area of Alta California "

Zorro visibly bristled in the saddle and Lord Hodge immediately sought to cover the movement with one of his own and dismounted Tornado from behind him.

"General, may I introduce Señorita Escalante," Lord Hodge said. "She is the owner of the tavern in the pueblo." He smiled charmingly up at Victoria.

"The owner of the tavern?" The General was amazed. "But—"

"Yes, it is out of the ordinary, General," Zorro interrupted, "a woman running a business, and a tavern, at that." Ignoring the fire that had flared in Victoria's eyes, he continued, "You see, Señorita Escalante is a modern woman. She sees no need to follow the conventions that restrain others.

"That's much to be admired, Señorita. Oh, but the tavern…" The man looked uncomfortable as he went on to tell her the bad news. "I am afraid my men have ensconced themselves there this afternoon. We needed more space, you see, what with all the extra soldiers that had been brought in by the former alcalde and my own men. The barracks cannot contain them all. So I am afraid your tavern is now part of our temporary quarters. But don't worry, we will keep a tally of the stores used and settle up accounts at a later date. Do you have someplace else you could stay temporarily?"

Looks had exchanged between all the men. The confiscation of property was never welcomed, and knowing the volatile character of the señorita, they feared her explosive reaction.

Don Alejandro quickly placed a restraining hand on Victoria who was bracing to rise from her seat in the carriage. He could feel the anger emanating from her like the heat of a fire.

Zorro spoke up to call the General's attention away from her. "General, I am sure that is not a problem. The señorita has always been welcome at the de la Vega hacienda. She can stay there until there is no further need for your soldiers to occupy the tavern." There was a perceptible slight edge to Zorro's words. For those present that knew him, they also contained a threat.

But the General was unfazed. His authority was complete and he was confident that he had enough men to handle any situation that could arise. "Do not worry your pretty little head, Señorita Escalante."

Don Alejandro's grip on Victoria's hands tightened as he heard her mutter under her breath, "Pretty little head, indeed!"

But the General kept speaking. "Be assured, we will return your property to you. I would not want to find anger in those eyes directed at me. I have other plans for—"

Holding Victoria in her seat, Don Alejandro could also see that Zorro was about to come out of his on Tornado, so he interjected quickly, "General, when would you like me to come to the pueblo to begin my duties? I'm anxious to get started."

"Tomorrow will be soon enough." The General reluctantly drew his gaze from Victoria to answer the question and immediately returned to a businesslike attitude.

Behind him, Lord Hodge was wiping his brow with his handkerchief. Then he finally found his voice. "General, it has been an honor to meet you. I do hope we see each other again."

The General leveled a keen eye at the man. "Just who are you, Sir? I mean, other than being someone the De Soto wanted to hang?"

"Lord Percival Bradley Hodge, at your service."

"Ah! Well!" The General dismissed the man from his thoughts, turned and touched the brim of his hat. "Don Alejandro, I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow in your office. We will begin our work then. Good day to you all!" And with a final nod, the General and his soldiers following turned to ride back to Los Angeles.

As they rode away, an indignant Hodge began, "Of all the—" But Zorro cut through the comments by addressing Don Alejandro.

"Once again, you are Alcalde!" Zorro said, grinning at the man.

"An alcalde with no treasury apparently! Ah me." Don Alejandro looked down at Lord Hodge.

"Sir, I am very glad indeed Zorro was in time to save you from the gallows."

"Yes, yes, it has been quite a day! I am quite glad to be alive, thanks to this man." Lord Hodge looked up at his rescuer and extended a hand.

Shaking his hand, Zorro declared, "Don Alejandro, if you would permit Lord Hodge to stay at your hacienda as well, I would be most grateful. It might not be wise for him to remain in the pueblo tonight. I do not like the idea of soldiers actually bedding down in the tavern. There could be violence

"Of course, of course." Don Alejandro answered. He looked over at Victoria. "And the señorita will be our guest until it is safe for her to return."

"A wise decision," Zorro agreed. He looked down at Hodge thoughtfully and took a deep breath. _Brace yourself and do it_. "I would advise you, Señorita, that you might start thinking of selling the tavern. It was never a place for a woman anyway."

Suppressing a smile, Lord Hodge climbed aboard the wagon and Zorro tipped his hat to them all in farewell. He turned Tornado to the east and left them at a full gallop.

All three pairs of eyes watched him depart with each person wondering just how far he was going to go before heading in the same direction they were going to be heading in themselves.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

After leaving miles of a false trail for anyone who might follow, Zorro arrived at the cave entrance a few hours later. He had left Tornado to graze on a patch of green grass not too far away and made his way on foot to the trap door.

Sniffing cautiously at the air just inside the cave, he was relieved to find that the sweet smell of the gas had dissipated quite well. With each step, he grew more confident that it would now be safe to enter all the way into the main room of the cave itself.

After removing his mask and cape, he allowed himself to sit down and relax for a few minutes. It was the first moment he had allowed himself to think about the events that had happened that day, events that would end up changing his life forever.

A new government for the pueblo. That was more than he could even deal with at present.

Besides…his father, Victoria, they _both _knew now!

The thought reverberated through his mind, blocking out any other thought. He had always thought it would be a secret he would reveal to both of them, not one they would discover themselves. He had always thought he would be able to choose the moment, to choose how it would be done. Now, that had been taken from him. But the worst part of all was that he had not been awake to even see his father's reaction. How was he ever going to face him?

"Wondering how you're going to face us, aren't you, Diego?" The voice behind him gave him a start and he nearly fell out of the chair.

"F-father!" Diego sputtered. He looked past his father to see Victoria, as well, entering from the passageway. "Victoria!" Diego racked his brain to think of something to say. "How is Lord Hodge?" he finally asked.

"Oh, he's asleep." It was his father who answered him. "Dr. Hernandez has already come and gone and seen to it that the man was given a sleeping draught. He thought he might have trouble sleeping since he was almost hanged today. Oh, and I also gave the indoor staff the rest of the day and night off since almost everyone wanted to check on the happenings in town. Quite an extraordinary day, don't you think, Son?"

"Oh, yes. That would describe it. Extraordinary!" He looked between the two of them, almost flinching visibly from their steady stares. The he watched as Alejandro began to pace listlessly about the cave, looking at all the lab equipment, and stopping here and there to examine his cape, hat and sword. Victoria remained motionless, standing in the archway with her hands behind her back.

"The great Zorro!" Aljeandro mused. "Living under my own roof, pretending to be meek, docile, frail even, at times… even a cow—"

Alejandro brook off the word and looked directly at his son. "Oh, Diego, Please, please forgive me. I do apologize … I have regretted that one word more than anything I have ever said or done in my entire life. I am so very sor—" He choked back tears and could not continue.

"Father, no! I am the one who should be doing the apologizing here. Not you! Please—"

"That's for damn sure!" The sound of Victoria's voice uttering such a curse spun them both around toward her.

"And I think you can add my cursing to your list of mea culpas for confession with the good padre! How dare you!"

"Victoria! I do not quite know how to begin…" He looked at her with blue eyes filled with a tinge of fear. She had never completely forgiven him yet, it was clear. And now, once again, she'd let her wrath build upon itself. He was about to pay dearly for that remark about selling the tavern.

She slowly moved forward, holding his gaze with her own seething eyes. "How dare you?" she repeated, shaking her head. "It is one thing to be Zorro and keep it from those who love you, from the very people who would have gone to their deaths to protect you. But from your own father, Diego! And when I think of all the times that you fooled me, mocked me—"

"Victoria… Querida," he pleaded, "I never mocked—"

"LESSONS!" she shouted at him. "Do I have to say anything more?"

"Those were your idea, not mine!" He pointed a forefinger at her, defending himself.

"What in the world were those lessons for?" Alejandro spoke up from across the room. "Diego?"

"She started it! I only went along with it because—"

"You led me to believe you were too shy to court your mystery woman—"

"What woman?" Alejandro, thoroughly confused, looked at Diego. "Who is she talking about, Diego?" he demanded.

"She's talking about—" But Diego could not explain, for Victoria was mad and when she was mad, the accusations came quick and fast.

"You said she was a lady!"

"She is! I mean, you—"

"You said she _cooked_ for you!"

"Diego!" his father cried, "I'm surprised at you!"

"Father, you don't understand. It was she—"

"And I even thought you got drunk because of—"

"That was something that had nothing to do—"

"Diego, you really shouldn't be making excuses about this sort of thing. I'm surprised at you!" Alejandro shook his head in disappointment.

"But, Father, she—"

"Off campus delights! Side trips to Paris! Oh, Zorro warned me about you!" She stopped, catching herself as she fell back into speaking of Zorro as another person.

"What?" Alejandro exclaimed.

"What?" Diego echoed.

"Just – just - never mind!" she shouted back at them both as they exchanged confused looks.

"And you let me— OH!" She stomped her foot. "Sell the tavern! 'Never a place for a woman anyway!'" She mimicked the way he'd said the words as Zorro.

"Now, Victoria, I only said that because—"

"I don't care why you said it! When I think…when I think of all the things you have said - all the things you did!" Her voice was at a fever pitch and she had to stop. Pictures of him flitted through her mind, one right after another, kissing her hand, caressing her fingertips, holding her, reciting poetry to her… His voice resounded in her ears and she wavered where she stood. "I can't believe you let me…" She let her voice fade away into a sob.

"Victoria, I beg you—" Placing his palms together, he shut his eyes trying desperately to think of the right words, the right way to reach her, to make everything right between them. But the words would not come and he fell silent.

"Don Alejandro, what should we do with him?" Victoria abruptly looked over at the older man. "Do you think he's suffered enough?"

"Uh…" Alejandro was startled out of his own dark thoughts, "well, my dear, I think—"

But she went on before he could complete his answer. "I think that he'll need this! Don't you?" She brought from behind her back a small sofa cushion she'd picked up from the sala and threw it on the cave floor just in front of Diego. "Here, to make you comfortable…" she let a slight smile steal across her lips as she motioned for Diego to kneel before her, "while you beg for forgiveness."

Looking from her face to the cushion on the floor, he only let a split second go by before he dropped to his knees upon it. Whatever the lady wanted – that would be the only way!

"Querida, please forg—" he began, but she held up a hand to stop him.

"No, that's not quite enough. You'll need this." She raised her leg and propped her foot upon the chair beside him, and as both men watched with amazement on their faces, she lifted her skirt to show quite a bit of thigh. There, wrapped around a garter, was a bit of black silk.

"Well?" she said, expectation clearly written on her face.

Diego looked wonderingly over at his father who spread his hands and lifted his shoulders, signaling his own confusion and some amount of shock at the actions of the señorita.

She pointed to the black cloth and obviously expected him to take it from her. Her eyes were full of challenge.

Taking a deep breath, he reached forward tentatively toward the spot of black. The moment he felt the texture, he knew what it was. He fingered it cautiously, wondering just why she wanted him to remove it from its so-very-private hiding place. Freeing the silk cloth from the garter, he let it unfold carefully, one end falling down loosely to reveal it as a black Zorro mask. It was the mask he'd left in the garden on a night so long ago. Zorro's mask. She had kept it all this time. From inside the folds of cloth, a small golden ring with a bright sparkling emerald fell into his palm.

Alejandro gasped the moment he saw the ring. He had not seen it in a very long time, but he knew it well. It was a ring he had bought himself, his dear departed wife's engagement ring. Apparently, it had not been lost after all. Zorro had felt a need for it. Alejandro smiled as he wondered anew at just how much he had never suspected of his own flesh and blood.

Diego also smiled and bowed his head.

"Remember your promise?" she whispered. "Are you man enough to keep the promise of a hero, Diego?" Her voice was barely above the sound of her breathing.

Holding the ring in his hand, he looked up into her face with glistening eyes. "Oh, my love, I have only hoped to tell you I am. Victoria, will you marry _me_, Diego de la Vega, a humble man who does not deserve you in any way?"

"Oh, Diego!" She leaned down, half-falling, half-propelling herself into his arms in utter glee. Both of them fell backwards, sprawling onto the floor as his wounded leg gave way beneath them. But it didn't matter. They were kissing each other, and laughing at the same time.

Alejandro stayed a few more minutes only to assure himself that they were both all right before he left the two of the alone in the cave. As he walked up the stone steps to the passageway, he muttered to himself, "But don't think, Son, I'm not going to be asking you later about Paris and those, what was it she said, 'off campus delights'!"

Diego and Victoria did not hear him. They were lost in each other's arms for a very long time.

Eventually, Victoria pulled away from him. She had remembered Diego's hurt leg and the thought of it nagged at her.

"Diego, we really should see to that wound. You've reopened it and it could get infected."

"Hmm. Yes, I suppose so. But I think it's no longer bleeding. I'll have Felipe look at it later." He pulled her back toward him only to feel her back away once more.

"No, we will do it now. I won't have you dying on me from some infection because we got carried away. Now where do you keep bandages and water down here?" She got up and looked around her.

"Over here." He got up rather clumsily and he led her over to a wooden box that held all manner of bandages and medicines. She began to look through the items in the box, picking up one and then another as he looked down at his pants leg and the newly made rent that had been made in it.

"Not again," he complained as he looked at the torn cloth. "This is my last pair!"

"Well, change back into your 'Diego' clothes and I'll sew them up for you," she said over her shoulder as she kept looking for just the right healing ointment for his wound.

He looked at her standing with her back toward him and then walked over to Tornado's stall to change. In a few minutes, he had removed his shirt and carefully peeled the black pants from the dried and caked blood of his newly reopened wound and placed them on the feed trough and was reaching for the 'Diego' clothes as she had called them.

But as his hand touched the broadcloth of the blue pants hanging from the hook, he felt it being whisked through his grasp. He looked up to see Victoria with a very wicked grin on her face.

"Maybe you haven't suffered enough after all!" she said, as she held up the blue clothes in one hand and the black ones in the other.

She turned and ran up the stone steps leaving him once more with nothing to do. She had both Zorro's and Diego's pants this time!

**The End **

Author's notes: I would like to thank all of you for reading this far, and a special thank you goes to all of you who commented this story. And I couldn't forget to thank Leiasky for all the prodding to get this one finished after languishing for about six years in my Word files. She also provided the "bare bones" plot a long time ago when all I had was a funny romantic garden scene.


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